RECENT BOOKS A LABORATORY MANUAL OF GENERAL CHEKISTRY. C. E . While, Associate Professor of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Maryland. Third edition. National Capital Press, Inc., 132 pp. 18 Figs. 1 Table. Washington, D. C., 1933. vi 14 X 21.5 cm. $1.00.
cover the scope necessary for, among others, the School Certificate examinations." The book is divided into two parts. Part I contains 35 chapt e n (319 pp.) in which the important facts and theories of elementary chemistry are presented, 312 pp. being devoted t o the non-metals and only 31 pp. t o the metals. Part I1 is a lahora"This laboratory manual is intended t o furnish experimental tory manual in which instructions are given for the performance work for an elementary college course" and is written with the f, 95 experiments. idea that the various exercises "precede the lecture." Sufficient 1, part I the titles and order of the chapters are as follows: blank space is available only for the immediate recording of introduction; historical; the gas laws; oxygen; hydrogen; results. "The order of material is that of the usual standard the molecular theory: (1) ~ ~law and molecular ~ ~ text." of gases; (2) some calculations; atoms, atomic weights and forThe author has no prefatory statement justifying the appear- mule; water; solution; equivalent weights, law of Dulong and ance of another manual in a field already crowded with somewhat Petit, atomic weights; formule and equations; valency; air standardized books. The reviewer cannot, therefore, opine t o and nitrogen; acids, bases and salts; titration: acid salts; the what extent the author has fulfilled the purpose of the hook. halogens; carbon and its oxides; the simpler hydrocarbons; difThe volume, both inside and out, is inexpensively bound, the fusion of gases; compounds of nitrogen: (1) ammonia; (2) cover being of a serviceable quality of brown paper. The de- oxides and acids; chemistry, energy and life; sulfur and its scriptive material was made very compact by the almost indis- compounds; phosphorus and its compounds; silicon and boron; criminate employment of standard word abbreviations, of chemi- reversible actions, balanced actions and dissociation; freezingcal symbols and formulas, and of terseness of statement. The point and boiling-point: ionic dissociation; electrolysis: ionic book is in need of a more judicious editing. A typical example dissociation (contd ); oxidation and reduction, some common oxiof careless sentence structure is: "Which element should m c t dizing agents; flame; metals: the alkali metals and the alkaline the more easily with oxygen, lead or copper?" The droll- earth metals; industrial metals (non-ferrous); iron and steel; minded person would enjoy: "Add ten grams of sugar t o 20 cc. isomorphism. of water and shake a few minutes," or, "Allow some air to beThe textbook is quite conservative. To illustrate, radioaccome mixed with the other bottle and ignite it." tivity, atomic structure, and the electronic theory are not preThe first 111 exercises are devoted t o a study of chemical prin- sented. Since there is so much speculation in connection with ciples and Laws, and of the chemical behavior and physical char- the structure of atoms, something can be said for the omission acteristim of the several varieties of matter taken collectively of this topic in school chemistries. and individually-a distribution of effort used by most authors of The usual facts and theories of chemistry are stated with luelementary chemistry manuals. I n the main, the discussions cidity, the language is excellent, and the style interesting. The are presented and the questions formulated in such a manner authors say: "In presenting i t we have not felt constrained of that the student cannot anticipate the experimental results. necessity t o the mere statement of a fact in the dreariest and This should increase the student's zest in acquiring the facts for mast matter-of-fact way. The days are gone when dullness himself. There is frequent reference t o the "Periodic System." was a quality t o be counted upon in a school text book." The The 112th exercise (7 pages) is a fairly compact systematic reviewer is in hearty agreement with this statement. qualitative analysis procedure for the common cations. The Contrary t o the practice of American authors of schwl chemarrangement of this procedure might be questioned as the various istries, the periodic classification is omitted. I n the opinion of tests (steps) assume that the student will of his own initiative the reviewer this is a mistake. preserve every product--correctly identified-dl he has finSix p a z e are devoted t o isomorphism. This is an unusual feaished with that cationic group. I n other words, the instructions ture for a school chemistry. are of the hinter rather than of the nor type. The results and conThe molecular and atomic theories. a k given careful and declusions for each test (identifications only) are given. Presum- tailed consideration, including the determination of molecular and ably i t is intended that this exercise either shall wnstitute a atomic weights. On the other hand, certain types of calculabrief introduction t o systematic qualitative analysis or that the tions, such as the calculation of weights based upon chemical instructor shall present all of the chemistry involved. equations, are inadequately treated (see p. 88). This topic is The reviewer cannot recommend the volume until the quality greatly stressed in American schools and especially for entrance t o of the English can be cited as a model for the enterprising uni- wuege. versity student. JESSE E. DAY Some teachers may object t o the use of "water of crystallizaTABOm0 STAT& UNIYBRSITV tion" for the more modern term, "water of hydration." On p. COLVIBUS, oam Q 180, the word "reactions" is used for "equations for the reactions." Part I1 of the text contains ample experiments for an adequate H' WoottonsM'A's Headmaster A "CAEMISTRY' I n general, the exercises are fundamental of the Perse School, Cambridge (England). and C. W . R. laboratory course. and they lay a solid foundation for future work, Hooker, M.A., Sometime Science Master a t Highgate School. I n the back of the textbook there aremany excellent questions, Cambridge University Press, London; The Co,, Figs, and Illus. principsUy from school certificates. Also, tables of atomic New York city, 1933, mii + 488 pp. weights, logarithms, and antilogarithms. 13 X 19 m. $1.75. While the book as a whole does not entirely meet the requireThis is a textbook intended for schools. I n writing the book, ments of the College Entrance Examination Board (of the United the authors had in view rather more than a presentation of the States), i t accomplishes well what the authors set out to do, and usual facts of chemistry and generally accepted explanations. i t deserves the careful consideration of teachers of chemistry. They rightly regard "chemistry as making its contribution with WILLIAMFOSTER a variety of other subjects to that moulding of the mind which ParNcBroNUNl.,easrrv is called education." They say: "The work is intended to ~ a n l c a r o N. ~ , J.
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