matter which each individual will have t!, dacide for himself. Certainly the t ,pies are covered in as extensive a manner as most readers would wish for. With the increase in physical knowledge this dictionary can save one a great amount of Lime in becoming acquainted with the phenomena covered. This is not to say that all the articles can he rend by an interested reader without some prior knowledge, for those using extensive mathematics call for some prerequisite knowledge. Many of the articles on Quantum Mechanics use crmiderahle mathematics, though the article on "Nuclear Forces" by Professor Breit of Yale University is largely descriptivr and quotes the mathematical theory making no attempt t o derive any of the equations. This latter article has a whole page of references! I t would probably be an advantage t o many readers had more of the articles followed the pattern used by Professor Breit. As an exitmple of the manner in which dilkrent aspects of a topic are treated, consider thet of Electrochemistry. This begins with: "The academic definition refers to the study of the behavior and properties of electrolytes and ions in solution or in the fused state, whether or not electric currents sre involved. The practical definition refers t o the effects of passing electricity through electrolytes, e.g., electroplating, chemical decomposition, gas evolution, chemical analyses with electrical apparatus; and the generation of electricity by chemical means, i.e. batteries of all types." Altogether this topic takes up eighteen double column pages with a number of short articles ranging from a few lines t o a few paragraphs as well as longer discussions of a page or more on Electrode, Electrodeposition, Electrode Potential, Electrokinetic Phenomena, Electrolysis and Electrolyte. At the end of all the longer articles and many of the shortcr ones are references t o a more complete literature, mainly books. The heeding Mathematics provides a short article on philosophical problems where it is stated "Ihvid Hilhert formulated the task of comprehending the whole of mathomittics within s. single axiomatic system and proving the consistency of this systcm by finitist methods of the greatest stringency. Gadel proved that this goal was unattainable. . . ." As Andrb Weil mid "God exists since Mathematics is consistent and the Devil exists since we cannot prove it." Following this are articles on the Methieu Function, Matrices and Matrix Mechanics all of which use the technical side of mathematics. A one page article on the M6ssbauer Effect presents a brief hut illuminating account of this phenomenon and shows haw this has been uscd to test the principle of equivalence in general relativity. I t e m be readily appreci&od that these volumes present a most impressive piece of work hy a host of able contributors. They will undoubtedly help the physical scientist as well es many others who make use of physicial phenomena. While the price will prevent many individuals from awning their s?t af this Dictionary it should be readily available t o all scientists. I t is doubtful if there is any scientist who cannot find something of
106 / Journal of Chemical Education
considerable use t o him in the pages of this Dictionary.
most lab manual authors. Even so, the attention t o the experimental aspects of the reactions discussed make this material R. J . STEPHENSON supplementary to, rather than repetitious Depa~tmatof Physics of the presentation most likely ineluded The College of Wooster in lectures. Wooster, Ohio This text is heartily recommended far use in the undergraduate organic chemist r y laboratory requiring a text. I strongly endorse the primary emphasis on lsbaratory operations. The most serious critiBasic Experimental Organic Chemistry cism, perhaps the only one, suggested for this hook is that i t it& to communirate James Cason and Henry Rapoprnt, the excitement that organic chemists both of the University of California, experience in the laboratory. Professor Berkeley. Prentice-Hall, Inc., E n g l e M. S. Newman's enthusiasm for new woad Cliffs, New Jersey, 1962. x approaches to laboratory teeching for 273 pp. Figs. and tables. 15 X 23 chemistry majors* is so infectious thet om. Paperbound. $3.75. this reviewer has become unsatisfied This volume, a paperback edition of with available laboratory texts. ComPart I of "Laboratory Text in Organic pared with urhat organic chemistry is Chemistry," second edition, by the same really like, all lab manuals that I have authors,' will be welcomed especially by examined seem dull. But perhaps the the large numbers of students who take beginning student sees through different organic chemistry laboratory but are eyes, and nearly any experiment performed not chemistry majors-students who for the first time will be interesting. chafe a t the necessity of buying s. more This is a time of active controversy about expensive lab text which contains much the most desirable organization and emmaterial beyond the scope of their course. phasis in organic chemistry lectures, For the chemistry major however, the with various new approaches being larger "Lahoratory Text" is recommended advoeated.2 It seems a. pity t h a t there s s an excellent addition to his personal arc so few experiments with the experireference library. The paperback edition ments. permits both kinds of students to have JAMES G. TRAYNHAM practical texts in the same course. Louisiana State Uniwrsity Teachers of experimental sciences have Baton Rouge long defended the required undergraduate lahoratory as the place where the lecture material is really learned. Numerous Reviewed by H. G. Kuivila in THIS lab manuals have apparently been based JOURNAL., 39, 602 (1962). See, for example, the "Symposium on on this dictum. C ~ s o nand Rspoport the Teaching of Elements. Organic boldly declare however that the primary Chemistrv." Abstracts of AC% Meetine. intent of their lahoratory course is to ~eptemb&;1962, pages 1-3F. teach lahoratory operations: illustratiotion of lecture material is strictly secondary. There is no effort to correlate the lab work with any particular approach (or text) in lecture, a wise choice whieh permits this lab text t o accompany any lecture text. With greater and greater Laboratory Practice of Organic emphasis on the theoretical aspects in Chemistry modern lecture texts for organic chemG. Ross Robertson and Thomas L. istry, a lab text which emphasizes the Jacobs, both of the University of Caliessential laboratory skills, without which fornia, Los Angeles. 4th ed. Macfew theories can develop, is welcome. millan Co., New York, 1962. ix The kinds of experiments are not revo383 pp. Figs. and tables. 16.5 X lutionary; rather they are basic and well 24.5 em. $5.50 tested. Included are 4 chapters on techniques, 12 on transformations of simSince the current edition of this fine ple functional groups, one on sugars, 6 lahoratory manual exhibits improved preson aromatic substitutions, 5 on heteroentations of its several commendable cyclic syntheses, and one on qualitative features, this reviewer's impression of it organic procedures. The equipment is just as favorable as was that of the prespecified inelvdes some items with standard JOURNAL, 32, 340 vious edition (THIS taper joints (eliminating nearly all stopI19551 ). pers and corks), although tho directions Although the general format. of the allow the substitution of equipment withbook is essentially unchanged, several out ground joints. The ground joint rearrangements have been mad% especially equipment citlled for is 80 cleverly choeen in P a r t I (Theory and General Technique. t h a t the added cost per student is only 163 pp.). Some obvious changes in Part I about $15. The illustrations are excellent. are: Chapter4 (Conduct of the Reaction, The experiments do not utilize mechanical 12 pp.) contains the revised material of stirring, reduced pressure distillations or Chapter 3 (Temperature Control) of the modern analyt,ical instruments such ss previous edition; Chapter 5 (Distillationspectraphotometers m d gas chromatoSingle Liquid Substances, 30 pp.) has graphs. discussions of solutions and the principles I n spite of the deelered secondary i n involved in the va~iouatypes of distillaportanco of illustrating lecture material, tions, hence i t is a revision of the material Cason and R a ~ o n o r include t considerahlv more leeturc-iybe discussion than (Continued on page A142)
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