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BOOKREVIEWS
VOl. 79
materials, etc., are the subjects of the remainder of the papers. T h e book suffers from the lack of continuity and the variation in style common t o works of its kind, b u t these minor faults are more t h a n compensated for by the generally high quality of thematerial. T h e diversity of topics covered should make i t of interest not only t o people active in research on gas chromatography, b u t also to those for whom this technique is chiefly a valuable new analytical method. Most of t h e articles give sufficient experimental detail t o enable the reader who wishes t o build his own apparatus to select the features most desirable for his purpose. -411 readers should benefit from a study of the theoretical papers. The report of t h e lively and informative discussion a t the symposium adds t o the value of the book. T h e recommendations of t h e committee on nomenclature seem reasonable; they would perhaps carry more weight had the editor, himself a member of the committee, chosen the title of t h e book in accordance with them. The contributors, the editor and the publishers are t o be congratulated for the speed with which they have made this useful work available.
built institute, lie still lacks a complete library. I n the revision he was forced t o depend largely upon reprints sent b y authors and upon Chemical Abstracts. I n spite of these formidable obstacles, the text has been thoroughly modernized and augmented by approximately 120 pages. Eightythree pages of well documented tables of sugars and sugar derivatives have been collected at the end of t h e book. T h e indeses have been about doubled in size from the first edition. The section on the biochemistry of the sugars has been revised completely and new sections on chromatographic separations, isotopic labeling and antibiotics have been added. Cross references are frequent and arc well selected. Coverage in the rapidly expanding field of oligosaccharide and polysaccharide structure lags, in part, a littlc behind the true research front. T h a t of the starches is well delineated. T h e sections on the seaweed polysaccharides, stachyose and the tissue polysaccharides, stand in need of attention. This undoubtedly reflects in part the “behindness” of Chemical Abstracts in the period following the end of World War 11. Strange omissions in the reference book listing are the ilmerican monographs on cellulose and starch: those of Ott (two editions), of Kerr (two editions), and of DEPARTMESTO F CHEMISTRS Wise. I n spite of these few shortcomings, not unexpected UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER KVRTF. \VISSBRUS in view of the difficulties presented t o the authors in their ROCHESTER 20, NEW YORK revisionary efforts, this text stands as the best introductory monograph in its field and probably will maintain this position for some time to come. Chemie der Zucker und Polysaccharide. Second Edition. DEPARTMENT O F CHEMISTRY MICHEEL,Dr. Phil., 0 . Professor der Chemie an By FRITZ UNIVERSITY hl. L WOLPROM der Universitat Miinster (n’estfalen) and ALMUTH THEOHIO STATE COLUMBUS 10, OHIO KLEMER,Dr. rer. nat., Wissenschaftliche Assistentin am Organisch-chemischen Institut der Universitat Munster (Westfalen). Akademische Verlagsgesellschaft, Geest and Portig K.-G., Sternwartenstrasse 8, Leipzig C 1, Electrochemistry. Principles and Applications. Bs Germany. 1956. xix 512 pp. 16 X 23 cm. Price, EDMUNDC. POTTER,B.Sc., Ph.D., F.R.I.C., D.I.C., Re36.-DM. search Branch, Central Electricity Authority for England and Wales. The Macmillan Company, 60 Fifth Avenue, The first edition of Fritz Mcheel’s “Chemie der Zucker S e w York 11, New York. 1957. xii 418 pp. 16 X 25.5 und Polysaccharide” appeared in 1939 and was a t the time, cm. Price $10.00. easily the best introductory monograph for this field. English translation, by R. C. Hockett, was published in this I n recent years relatively few texts on electrochemistry country in 1948. There now appears a second revised and have been published. Potter’s new book represents one of augmented edition in the compilation of which Professor the first to present both basic and applied aspects of elecMicheel has been assisted by Frl. Dr. Almuth Klemer. T h e trochemistry in a concise, well integrated fashion in a. single volume. t e s t is, nevertheless, essentially singly authored and acPrimary emphasis is placed on electrode processes in tlie cordingly does not suffer froin the repetitions and contradictions characteristic of multiply authored monographs. The early chapters which discuss the theoretical aspects of elecbook does not profess t o be complete b u t the extent of its trochemistry. Reversible electrode systems are treated on a thermodynamic basis as well as in ternis of experimental ascoverage is astounding and the essential points in the chemist r y and biochemistry of the monosaccharides, oligosacpects. ;1description of the factors contributing to the irrecharides and polysaccharides are well selected and thoroughly versibility of various electrode processes is presented with covered. Emphasis is placed upon the organic structural particular attention on hydrogen overvoltage as is traditional among electrochemists. A separate chapter is used chemistry involved. The writing and editing is thorough for the discussion of the electrical double layer and electroand is free of those obvious errors, gross omissions, and misinterpretations of published work, which have been so kinetic phenomena. The treatment of electrolytes is brief characteristic of most of the carbohydrate monographs apand hardly more detailed than is standard undergraduate pearing in recent years in English. T h e German language texts on physical chemistry. Xewcomers to the field of electrochemistry as well as chemical analysts will find the conesposition is simple and direct and is highly recommended cise chapters on electrochemical measurements particularly for students preparing for the American university Gerinan useful. The applied phases of electroclieniistrp which are reading examinations. Professor Micheel, a student of K u r t Hcss and a forincr considered by Potter include corrosion inechanisnx and preassociate of Xdolf Windaus, the latter being the one out- vention, electrodeposition, batteries, and industrial elcctrolysis. standing student of Heinrich Kiliani, writes in the classical Throughout this book, the sign convetitiuns for clcctrodc German tradition and is no votary of modern mechanistic potentials advocated by the International Union of Pure and interpretations of organic reactions. The troublesome problems of ring conformation are never mentioned. \\‘hat is Applied Chemistry are employed in contrast to the system well grounded in established fact, however, is all there. The generally iu use in most Xmerican tests and publications of nomenclature employed is t h a t of Emil Fischer. The ex- the American Chemical Society. The author discusses the problem of sign conventions, however, in a simple but eftensive changes and modernizations of this nomenclature fective fashion; hence, the student who is accustomed t o the which have been developed by the joint efforts of the Xnieriso-called :\merican system is not likely to be confused. can and British chemists, has not been translated into the This text is conspicuous for its excellent organization and German idiom by the present authors. T h e one cuticession concise presentatiou. The many illustrations and tables arc is the adoption of the Roman small capital letter for tlie coilvery effective. Thc t e s t contains a number of problerri5 figurational symbol. While the language barrier is :L factor which arc coinplctely worked and iiitegrated within tile here, some better common ground would he desirable. chapters. The bibliography at the end of the book lists other Professor Micheel favors the Fischer projection forinula for the depiction of sugar structures. From this he proceeds tests and publications for collateral reading. So ipecific references are given for the work or data presented i n this occasionally to a n “eigentiimlich” orientation of the Haworth book . perspective formula which he is later forced t o change to the Many of the contemporary explanations for various elecaccepted orientation when he discusses oligosaccharide anti trochemical phcnomena are far from wcll established ant1 iii polysaccharide structures. This revision was effected uiidcr great clitficulties. Tlie :i state of flux. As a result, authors of textbooks on electroinstitute of Professor ,Micheel was demolislicd by thc a c r i d chemistry must exercise more than the usual care to indicatc bombing of World War I1 and although he now has a newly fully the status of the various proposed explanations. Un-
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