W R U A R Y , 1953
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seems to give a misleading impression of both the physical power and the possible mathematical elaborateness of thermodynmics. Nothing is said about the postulational development of Caratheodary nor is there any reference to the important new wark on the thermodynamies of irreversible systems. The discussion of wave propagation (pages 269 ff), to cite another example, is misleading since it is unnecessarily restricted to periodic waves. The recent papers of Schrodinger suggest that the problem of the interpretation of quantum mechanics, usually considered to have been settled by the probability view of Born, may have to he reopened for more csreful consideration. The portraits of famous mathematicians and physicists add considerable interest to the work. Among those of pre-quantum physicists is one said to he that of 1,a.m Camot (1753-1823). This gentleman was not a physicist hut a military expert whose principal soientifie contributions vere in the field of mathematics. His elder son, Sadi Carnot (1796-1832), was the eminent physicist, known to fame as one of the founders of thermodynamics. R. B. L I N D S A Y B~own Unrvmsrm
P n o v ~ o s m Rnona ~, Imano
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rapidly expanding contrihutions of chemioal thermodynamics to the solution of practical metallurgical problems. It is a, little disturbing to find that many of these contributions have been made by chemists with little or no formal metallurgial educe tion. Another significant trend has been the increasingly prominent role of chemical engineers in metallurgical activities." Thus a metallureist admits the suoerioritv of trsinine in iunannlv damentals aver de&ntive technolo&. H; nronoses
its applioation to metallurgy. In the first volume the author devotes ten chapters to engineering principles common to all the unit processes of extractive metallurgy. These are: (1) The Unit Processes of Chemical Metallurgy, 11 pages; (2) Stoichiometry, 31 pages; (3) The Heat Balance, 26 pages; (4) Metallurgical Fuels, 40 pages; (5) Combustion of Fuels and Heat Utilization, 34 pages; (6) Fluid Flow, 48 pages; (7) Steady Heat Flow, 68 pages; (8) Unsteady Heat Flow, 25 pages; (9) Phases in Pyrometallurgical Systems, 41 pages; (10) Refractory Materials, 43 pages. In considering the number of topics, and the space allotted to each, that are covered in one semester, the reviewer wonders if the success of the chemist and chemical engineer is not due to the emphasis and time spent on fundamentals. The chemical eneineer will mend a semester on stoiahiometrv alone.
BIOCHEMICAL PREPARATIONS. VOLUME 2
0
Eric G. Ball, Editor-inchief. John Wiley & Sans, Inc., New York, 1952. vii 109 pp. 2 figs. 15.5 X 23.5 cm. $3.
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INRECENT years the study of individual chemieal reactions in animal and plant tissues has occupied a large segment of hiochemical research. Such studies necessitate the isolation or prrpamtion of components of wrgnw rgetmcs. For this rmwa a compilation of wlial,lr lnrthod~for obtaining highly purified sub4nnet.i of t,iovhrwir~ilinterest ir quite dr*irul,lr. Surh .a compilation is the objective of "~iohhemical Preparatiana." The present volume is the second in the series. It contains isolation procedures for cytochrome-e, seed globulin, phosvitin. laotio dehydrogenase, oleio mid and methyl ricinoleate; the hiosynthesis of myo- and epi-inosose, inositol monophosphste and Clrlahled sucrose. In addition, chemical procedures for the preparation of 14 compounds of biochemical interest are described. The methods are presented with full detsjls of procedure and are supplemented with footnotes in which choice of reagents, vields. and other helnful comments annear. Each method has
for the isolation of more of the enzyme proteins when methods for their preparation are perfected. As this series of volumes expands, it will he of value if each volume cantaim a list of the compounds that have been described in the earlier volumes of the series.
fer appeared particularly good. All chapters are concluded with problems that apply the principles to metallurgical problems. Chemists and chemical engineers will be interested in seeing this "new look" given the teaching of metallurgy, particularly if they desire to adapt these industrial problems to their courses to extend the breadth of training of their students. KENNETH A. KOBE U N I V E ~ ~O~ ITTSXAS Y
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ANNUAL REVIEW OF NUCLEAR SCIENCE. VOLUME I
Committee on Nuclear Science, National ~ e s i a r c hCouncil. 645 pp. Annual Reviews, Inc., Stanford, Calif., 1952. ix Nustrated. 15.5 X 2 3 cm. $6.
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to provide a. true perspective for the year's advances. In many
the academic library. Since thk diversitid research in nuclear nhenomena is so ereat. the comnrehensive ~ l a nfor the series
METALLURGICAL ENGINEERING. VOLUME I. ENGINEERING PRINCIPLES
0
Reinhardt Schuhmann, Jr., Assmiate professor of ~ ~ t & Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Addison-Wesley press, In=., Cambridge, Mass., 1952. ix + 3gOpp, 155figs, 19 x 25
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"THEpast ten years heve brought general recognition of the fact that the traditional college training in the established arts of extracting the common metals from their ores no longer is the soundest basis for a successful career in the metallurgical profession. One major factor in the awakening has been the
cdmmunicatian" references. The spectrum of topics covered ranges from meson physics to Of the 611 text pages, about half are devoted , plant ~ ~ nutrition. ~ , to topics primarily of interest to physicists, the other half to chemists and biochemists. Chemistry professors seeking an efficient means of kee~inenosted on the nroeress of other than their own specialities have been enthusiastically grateful for other Annual Review series. This first volume of a new series will most certainly receive the same response. Among the chapters included in this volume whioh are sure to be of interest to academic chemists are: Kats and Manning on "The chemistry of the actinides," Edwards on "Isotopic tracers in chemical systems"
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