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JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL EDUCATION
text. The figures are simple, carefully drawn, and should be helpful to the student. There are of course a number of minor points which could be improved, but there are few of sufficient importance to be mentioned here. The reviewer feels that the brief chapter on oxidation-reduction potentials might well have heen incorporated into the chapter one. m. f., and that the section on oxidation-reduction indicators is particularly weak. On the other hand, the brief section an the glass eleotrcde is good. That part of the chapter on radioactivitv and nuclear fission which discusses what nearlv werv . . , student who has Dassed an elementarv " chemistrv course nltwrrdy knows m i ~ h twell hnvr hcexr left our, leaving inor- s p ~ w for dcvclopn~rnt01 tile priuciplcs untlerlying the ~pplirationof tracer techniques and the preparation of artificially radioactive dements. The reviewer likes the book particularly because it does not try to drag in medical or biochemical applications by the heels. It presents an honest, though very elementary, view of physical chemistry; as such it will fill the needs of many more students than just those who go on to medical school, and those who do enter medical school will acquire from i t much that they would not otherwise obtain. It is not, as some of the older books on this subject have been, largely a preview of what the student will encounter later on in medical school. A course based on this text can stand on its own feet as a respected part of the science curriculum of a liberal arts college. ~~~
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WILLIAM E. CADBURY. JR.
Kavmmo~oC o ~ m o n HAVEBFOBD. PENNBTLVAWI&
METHYL ETHYL KETONE Shell Chemioal Corp., 500 Fifth Ave., New Yolk City 18, 1950. 129 pp. 37 figs. 12 tables. 15.5 X Second edition. xi 23 cm. Available on letterhead request.
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Tms little book is "designed to afford chemists and manufacturers a convenient source of information on methyl ethyl ketone. The book eantdns a discussion on the oommercial appliclations of this petroleum-derived chemical with particular emphasis on surface coatings. Nonsurface coatings applications, such as adhesives, cleaning compounds, dyes, and insecticides are described, as well as the function of methyl ethyl ketone in mineral oil refining and solvent extraction.
breadth of the field, however, and the application of biochemical knowledge and tools to all branches of biology and medicine, make it di5cult for a single volume to satisfy all needs. This textbook is more suitable for the student who is seeking either a general understanding of biochemistry or a basis for further study in specialiaed fields of biochemistry. Far these purposes, the volume is well designed. It does not, however, provide the biochemical viewpoints or applications to specialized fields, e. g., medicine or botany. It is apparent that far the applied aspects of biochemistry, specific textbooks and monographs, less broadly oriented than this one, will be required. .%BRAHAM WHITE U ~ m ~ n s l *OF C*~.IIORNI* LOBAN~EIEB.C A ~ ~ O R N I A
PETROLELlM AND ITS PRODUCTS Williom I. Sweeney, Standard Oil Development Co., New York City. Sponsored by Phi Lambda Upsilon and the Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State College, State College, Penn52 pp. 72 figs. 24 tables. 23 X 28.5 sylvania, 1950. vi cm. Sniral bound. 82.25.
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"PETROLEUM AND ITSPRODUCTS,'' was presented as the 24th Annual Priestley Lectures a t Pennsylvania State College, April 24-27, 1950. These lectures were conceived to fulfill a threefold purpose: "(1) to establish a living memorial for Joseph Priestley; (2) to honor a succession of contemporaw American Scientists: and (3) to demonstrate that theoretical chemistry is a vital functional part of modem applied chemistry." The lecturer chosen is expected to be an authority in a broad field and thus the presentation is rather general, covering occurrence, production, resources, composition, analysis, refining,products, and utiliestion of petroleum. The book is highly illustrated with figures and tables and appears to be an interesting survey of the petroleum field as a whole.
CHEMICAL INVENTIONS AND CHEMICAL PATENTS Edword Thomos, Ledurer for Practising Law Institute and Former Member Examining Corps of U. S. Patent Office. First edition. Matthew Bender & Company, Inc., Albany, New York. Clark Broadman Co., Ltd.. New York, 1950. viii 881 pp. 8 figs. 16 X 24 cm. $16.50.
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TEXTBOOK OF BIOCHEMISTRY Benjamin Harrow, Professor of Chemistry, College of the City of New York. Fifth edition. W. B. Saunders Co., Philadelphia, 1950. ir 609 pp. 139 figs. 6S tables. 16 X 24.5 cm. $6.
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LABORATORY MANUAL OF BIOCHEMISTRY Benjamin Hamw, Gilbert C. H. Stone, Harry Wagreic6, Ernest Borek, and Abrohom Mazur, Chemistry Department, College of the City of New York. W. B. Saunders Co., Philadelphia, 1950. Third edition. i s 149 pp. 22 figs. 16 X 23.5 cm. (Spiral bound.) $2.25.
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THEauthor has condensed his many years of patent law experience and writing to pmduce a very practical and readable book. The book bears out his contention thrtt Patent Law is largely judpmade law and should be studied in this light. The general features as well as the fine legal points are extremely well developed from pertinent court decisions. The value of the book is enhanced by the judicious use of the negative approach in which the difficulties, the pitfalls, and the costly mistakes made by others are strikingly sustained. Instead of the usual abstract presentation of the law, a distinct note of ways and means to anticipate and circumvent numeroua difficulties pervades the entire book. The chapter on Claims is exceptionally well written; so also is the one on Assignments, Licenses, Options, Law Suits, m d Secret Rights. The numerous citations are well chosen and thoroughly documented. The Table of Cases and the Index occupy 190 Pages. The book fulfills its miasion and it will return many times its cost to those who are actively engaged in the development and exploitation of chemical inventions.
THEnew edition of this textbook, coming within four years of the previous edition, indicates the awareness of the author of the rapid rate a t which biochemical lmowledge is expanding. An entirely new chapter, "Biological antagonists," has been added, and frequent mention is made of the newer advances in biochemistry. However, by deletion of portions of the appendix, md various less imnortant items. the siee of the volume has been kept approxim~atelywithin its previous limits. The book will continue to ful6ll admirably the needs of moat ,,.,,,F u~~~~ students initiating their study of biochemistry. The growing NEW Yoar C m
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WILLIAM P. O'CONNOR
