1460 for the needs of the clinical laboratory and to present them in such a manner that they may be readily followed by those with a minimum of experience in the use of the spectrophotometer.” The manual is intended for routine work. More than 200 specific methods are included for some 70 desired constituents. Although organic constituents predominate, the list includes the following inorganic examples: Bi, Br, Ca, P, Pb, S, SO,. C1, CO, CO,, Cu, Fe, Hg, I, K, hlg, N, h’a, SH,, For many constituents more than one method is given, each of which may apply to more than one substance. Thus, for uric acid one h d s (1) the cyanide-urea method, applied to plaama or serum, to whole blood, and to urine, and (2) the glycerol-silicate method, applied to plasma or serum, and to urine. I n general, the material for each procedure is arranged consistently under the following headings: principle of method, sample, special apparatus, reigents, technic (spelled correctly, the reviewer believes), calibration procedure, alternate instrumental procedures, selected bibliography of original referenres, blank space for notes, a calibration curve, and a coordinate ruled page for recording meter readings. Both the operating directions and the calibration curve are for the author’s Coleman Universal spectrophotometer, using 13-mm. square cells. The procedures are not limited, of course, t o this instrument. The alternative techniques included are for filter photometers equipped a ith a linear scale (Sheard-Sanford type) or with a logarithmic scale (KletbSummerson type). The author advises each operator to calibrate his own instrument, for obviously it niightrange in spectral band width at least from the threefilter photometer of the Fisher Company to the very narron-slit Beckman DU spectrophotometer. The appendix includes a conversion table for density-meter reading values, and also a list of values for the normal amounts of the various constituents covered by the methods. The reviewer is not competent to decide whether the methods selected from the biochemical literature are the best available for the purpose intended. They are written in a very clear and concise Ray, with all the individual reagents and steps in the procedures numbered and well separated for easy reading. Any trained Lundell determinator should he able to follow the directions readily. Because each method is a complete unit and the binding is loose-leaf form, any given procedure may be easily replaced as improvements occur. I f . G. MELLON The Theory and Practice of Semimiwo Qualitative Analysis. G . B. Heisig. 2nd ed. 356 pages. R. B. Saunders Co., Rest Washington Square, Philadelphia 5, Pa., 1950. Price, $3.50. The author states in the preface of this work that it WLS designed for the use of students who have had a thorough course in general inorganic chemistry and was intended to serve as a basis for a two-quarter or two-scmcster coursc in qualitative analysis. I t is the opinion of the reviewer that the author has succeeded in his purpose. Like many other textbooks in qualitative analysis, the material in this work is divided into a theoretical and an experimental section. The experimental section of the text is exceedingly well organized and the procedures presented are clearly stated and are of such nature as to provide excellent illustrative material for the study of the principles of ionic theory and chemical equilibrium. Very little use of organic reagents and “spot” tests is made. This will appeal to those who consider the study of the procedures of qualitative analysis not simply as an end in itself but also as a means of reviewing and extending the students’ knowledge of the principles of general chemistry. The theoretical section is adequate, but is not so well organized or so clearly written as are the experimental procedures. I n most cases the author has adapted modern points of view, but in a few instances the discussion is not up to date, notably in the
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY definition of oxidation-reduction reactions in terms of loss and gain of electrons, and in his’use of “valence” and “oxidation state” as synonymous terms. Also the author brings in the now outdated terms of “principal” and “auxiliary” valence used by Werner in his original coordination theory. The author’s treatment of ion-dipole bonds and of covalent bonds in complex formation is misleading and is not entirely correct in its implications The book is well designed and printed. There are a number of useful tables in the appendix and an adequate index is provided. Altogether, the book is a good text and will serve admirably for the purpose for which it was written. HARRYH. SISLER
N E W BOOKS Condensed Chemical Dictionary. 4th ed. Francis M. Turner, editorial director. xxix 726 pages. Reinhold Publishing Corp., 330 West 42nd St., Iiew York 18, N. Y. $10. G. E. Manual of Instrument Transformers. Operation Principles and Application Information. 76 pages. Bulletin GET-97A. General Electric Co., Schenectady, K. Y., 1950. $1. Industrial Instrumentation. Donald P. Eckman. vi 396 pages. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 440 Fourth Ave., New Tork 16, N. Y. $5. Physico-Chemical Constants of Pure Organic Compounds. J . Timmermans. viii 693 pages. Elsevier Publishing Co., Inc., 250 Fifth Ave., New York, N. Y. $12.50. Scientist’s Ready Reckoner. TY. Roman. viii 142 pages Dr. W. Junk, 13, Van Stolkwcg, The Hague, The Netherlands. $3.95. United States Pharmacopeia. 14th rev. ed. Iv 1067 4 pages. Mack I’rinting Co., Easton, Pa. $9.
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CORRECTION. I n the. review paper on “Light Absorption Spectrometry” [Mellon, >I. G., h . 4 ~ CHEM., . 22, 2 (1950)], i n the first line on page 5, the word “absorbency” was incorrectly used instead of “absorptancy.” The phrase should have read: “absorptancy ( 1 - transmittancy) is plotted against the logarithm of the concentration.” This error crept kit0 the text after the author had read and approved the text.
International Congress on Analytical Chemistry Considerable progress has been made in connection with arrangements for the International Congress on Analytical Chemistry, to be held a t Oxford, England, beginning September 4, 1952. The technical sessions will he held in one of the main university buildings, and acconiniod:ttions will be made available in the colleges as well as in hotels. Excursions and visits will be planned to take place during the week end of the congress, It is expected that a meeting of the board of Section V, Analytical Chemistry, International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry, will he held in Oxford during the congress. Sir Ian Heilhron is honornry president xiid C. J. van Sieuwenburg is president of this section. R. C. Chirnside, Research Laboratories, General Electric Co., Ltd., Wemhley, England, is honorary secretary of the congress. Fourth Symposium on Analytical Chemistry. Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, La., January 29 to February 1,
1951
Pittsburgh Conference on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy. William Penn Hotel, Pittsburgh, Pa., March 5 to 7, 1951 Fourth Annual Summer Symposium. Washington, D. C., June 14 to 16, 1951
