22. .'Some of the difficulties which students encounter are no doubt due t o the fact that they are plunged rather suddenly into the manipulation of maruinl. whichare for them entirely new." 23. "This study has been devoted t o an examination of present pradees and has m a l e d a situation which border. on the critical." 24. That textbooks should aim to give the student "the ability to think for himself" rather than to be "carefully prepared eatslog. of the facts and principles of chemistry arranged under proper headings" is suggested as "an important function for work in chemistry." The above conelusions were not summarized by the author of the monograph but were incorporated a r parts of the running text. As many chemistry teachers may not see thir p a r tievlnr monograph it seemed wise to the writer t o compile these eonelusions m t h a t they might reach a larger reading publie. They should be particularly applicable a t present in connetion with the study being given to the content and method for High School Chemistry as carried out by the Division of Chemical Education of the American Chemical Society. WneBLY S&CHXBLOM
Chemistry in Industry. H. E. How* (Editor). The Chemical Foundation, Inc.. New York, N. Y. 1924. rii 372 pp. 50 figs. 20 X 14 cm. Price $1.00 postpaid.
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I n the Foreword of this b m k there appears a clear statement of its purpose and scope. The editor rays, "Notwithstanding the universal application of the data established by fundamental research, the Committee on n i z e Essays of the American Chemienl Society learned during the contest of 192G1924 that the relation of chemistry t o induotry had not been set down in language easily understood, nor in places conveniently eeeessible t o the thoussoda of students who desired to write upon t h a t tople Coooequently, i t war decided to provide a t least one reference book that would be of assistance, and this book is the result. I t is in reality a rymposium t o which twenty-one rpeeiali~tsin as many different industries have contributed chapters dealing with what chemistry has accomplished in their field of work and noting several unsolved problems t o indicate a few of the many opportunities that a m i t the resourceful, well-grounded chemist. It is hoped t h a t the industries selected may be considered typical, and perhaps if this book achieves its purpose a companion volume may appear a t a later date.'' While designed for those who havelittle knowledge of theoretical chemi.try, this volume will prove of no less interest and value t o others, particularly to teachers of chemistry. Both the editor and the reader are t o be congratulated upon its ruccesrful synthesis, and we hope that i t will be but the first of an extensive ''homologous *cries:. The first chapter, The Foundations of Chemical
Industry, by R. E. Rose, includes an introduction t o svlfvrie acid, nitric a d d , soda, soap, glass. caustic soda, electrolysis and chlorine. I n a very intere3ting prelude the author likens e l e c tronie and atomic arrangements to a large number of balls handled by many jugglers who can move around and effect exchanges at will. "The chemist, without seeing them, has learned t o handle these k a r t units of materials in such a way as t o get the arrangements which are more useful from those less useful.. ..All (industries) have this in eommon-they serve to rearrange atoms of molecules or t o eolleet molecules of one kind for the service of man.. ..This ia the wonder of the chemist's work: he finds that which is not upon the earth until he direovers it; just as the artist creates so does the chemist. If he did not there would be no chemical industry t o write about." The remaining chapter headings are fairly indicative of their content: 11, Abrasives, by F. I.Tone; 111, Alcohol and Some Other Solvents. by D. B. Keyes; IV, Coke, Coal and Their Products, F . W. Sperr, Jr.; V. Cotton and Cotton Products. T. C. Law; VI. Chemistry in the Electrical Industry, Buckner Speed; VII. Same Applieation~of Electrochemistry. A. H. Hmker; VIII, Chemistry in the Fertilizer Industry. R. B. Deemer; IX, Industrial Gases. C. S. Robinson; X, Glass: One of Man's Blessings, Alexander Silverman; XI. The Elements of Iran and Steel Manufacture. A. E. White; XII, The Making of Leather, 1. A. Wilson; XIII, Nonferrous Metallurgy, H. W. Gillett; XIV, Chemistry of the Packinghouse Processes, W. D. Richardson; XV, Chemistry in the Pulp and Paper Industry; XVI, Perfumes and Flavors. S. IS=mann; XVII, The Petroleum Industry, G. L. Wendt; XVIII, Photography, or Picture Making by Light. S. E. Sheppard; XIX, Synthetic Resins: A Chemical Contribution t o Structvrsl Materials, A. V. H. Morey; XX. C h e h t r y i n the Rubber Industry, W. J. Kelly; XXI, Chemistry in the Textile Industm. L. A. O l n e ~ . The outstanding article is "The Making of Leather." Others e-ine. - oartieu1ar anneal . .. to the reviewer are those on Glass, Non-ferrous Metalbrgy, Paekinghoase Proeerscs and Photography. But i t is clearly imporsible t o arrange the chapters in even an approximate "eieetmmotive series," for they are all good. While many points of view are necessarily reprenented, the various nuthors consistently emphasize the value of the scientific attitude of mind, the necessity of chemical control of all products and processes in any successful i n d u ~ t r y and the s0un.i investment represented by rcsearch. "The chemist always wants to know exactly what is happening in the process he is handling and never rests until he has a t least a good working hypothesis." (Kelly, p. 341.) "The amateur chemist and eccentric inventor may contribute their bit, but any satisfactory process will finally be worked out in the usual ~
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long paiostaklng way by n group of highly-trained scientific men, business men and engineers.. .. NOonegenius will d i i i i i i t i i i i i g h t : (&yes, P. 36.) The following paragraph illustrates the fine spirit of patriotism running through the hook"The young chemist must prepare himself to receive the torch of leadership.. ..and by hi* science, art and skill. complete the process of making America as free from the ehemied dominance of other nations as our forefathers made it independent of political and morel dominance." (Deemer, p. 117.) The book has a tremendous appeal to the imagination. The present power of chemistry and its inevitably brilliant future are impressed on one a t every turn. One field of research is likened t o a "new and unexplored continent. of which wesesrcely h o w theshoreline:' (Speer, P. 73.) Law (p. 84) says "the ugly little eotton seed will be found comparable only t o Alladin's lamp io the products which i t will produce and the food for scientific research which it contains." According t o Gillett (p. 198). "in all the advances of metallurgy, the chemist has done, is doing and will do most of the work. New inventions.. .. w e n the namcl of which we do not know, will come. Chemists who will.. ..acquire thie new knowledge are now g r o e n g up, t h o w h they may not know they are going t o be chemists.. .TO any such chemists t o be.. ..the writer offers his congratulations, first. because their work will be a service to mankind and second, because they will have a mighty interesting job." The many ~ ~ c e e r n fapplieatioos ul of ehemistry, the achievements of famous chemists and the promise of future sveeesses cannot fail t o stimulate the interest and fire t h r imagination of the moet casual reader. R. A. B ~ m n
.
General Chemistry.
H o a ~ G. c ~D a m ~ o . John Wiley & Sons. Inc., New Yark. 1923. xii 605 pp. $3.50.
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The author ha. made a special effort to give his book Eexibility. "The purpme has been t o encourage the instructor t o teach what he wishes to teach, in the order that seems hest to suit the past preparation and future neednof his students." The book may be u3cd equally well by beginners and by students with previous koowlcdge of chemistry, ss the arrangement of the material permits the employment of a somewhat different sequence of topics in the two rases. A feature of the book is the provi~io"m a d e i n the form of additional paragraphs and difficult exercisesfor the student of superior ability. The book ie thoroughly up-to-date. The present viewpoint of tbe constitution of matter is introduced early and used throughout. There are chapters on the colloidal state, on nutrition,
and on electmehemistry, in addition t o those on the more important carbon compounds. The author and the publishers have spared no pains io their effort t o make the text of maximum value t o the student. There are graphic summaries and exercises a t the end of each chapter. and general review exercises st the end of the book. The sppendix is very complete and ineludes a bibliography and a list of important events in the history of chemistry. The lined r a w i n s and photographs are carefully selected and well executed. There are frequent hints and devices t o warn the student of difficulties and to assist him in his study. There are few mechanical and typographical errors. The hook seems to be endowed with much of the freshness, enthusiasm and vision of its author. It may seem strange and different at the first reading to thore who have already examined dozens of introductory texts, but interest deepens as the reader understands and enter* into the spirit and purpose of the author. Certainly no teacher of college chemistry should fail to give this text his careful consideration. H. H. LLOYD Erercises in General Chemistry. HORACEG. DEMNGassisted by S n a B. Aagnron. John Wiley & Sons, Ine.. New York. 1924. This laboratory manna1 has been advanced "with the thought.. . .that an elementary eour~e in chemistry has.. ..three chief aims: 1. To make the student familiar with a few representative types of matter. 2. To reveal some of the genera1 principles that govern the transformatione of matter. 3. To afford mmc experience with the experimental methods by which chemistry has won its advsneeo." The exereisea are presented in an attractive form. There in first a general statement to make plain the purpose of the experiment. Then come the directions, including a list of materials needed. They frequently take the farm of experimental ~roblems. The su&ition. t o be answered bri the ;fudent are grouped a t the end. Each question refer- by number to n dmgnafcd part of the dircrlion,. Space r r provided for writing the a n rwcr, ,he manual. if it 1s derircd I n accordance with the plan of the authors, the exercises io the firat part of the hook include descriptive and preparative work, and a number of quantitative experiments. A variety of laboratory procedures involves the use of a "aricty of apparatus. The last third of the work is given over t o systematic qualitative analysis. This takes the place of purely descriptive, testtube experimentson the metals. In the opinion of the reviewer the authors have done nn excellent piece of work in the preparation of their "Exercioer." H. H. LLOYD
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