NEW BOOKS Thermochemie. By DR. W. A. ROTH. 102 pp.; 15 figs. Sammlung Goschen. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter and Co., 1932. Price: RM. 1.62. This small volume by a skilled experimenter in the field contains an excellent, condensed treatment of thermochemical practice. Students who desire to become acquainted with the best methods of attacking thermochemical problems will find this book of considerable value Even the experienced thermochemist will find many useful hints scattered through this volume. The author has included a short treatment of thermodynamics. Thermochemical data appear only as illustrative material. F. H. MACDOWALL. Diainario d i Chimica Generale e Industriale. Volume I, A-E. By PROF.MICHELE 1082 pp. Turin: Urime GUIA AND DR. CLARAGIUA-LOLLINI.29 x 20 cm.; ii Tipografico-Editrice Torinese (Utet), 1933. Price: L. 165. This is a formidable first volume of a Dictionary of Chemistry, concerned not only with the theoretical aspects of the science, but also with its varied application to agriculture, biology, pharmacy, geology, and mineralogy. The whole, when completed, will be no small achievement for only two authors. I n view of the existence of other seemingly similar compilations, e.g., Thorpe or Ullmann, each the combined work of many specialists, the question may he asked, what is there to justify this new work, apart from its being Italian and up to date? The answer is that it covers new ground. The information given under each heading is, in the main, comprehensive, without very great detail, and is in general stated so simply that anyone without special knowledge of chemistry can get valuable information from it. A t the same time useful references are appended for anyone who requires more. The inclusion of short biographies of past chemists, from the earliest times, and technologists of later date, and the large part of the work devoted to chemical theory and pure science, differentiate it from the dictionaries or encyclopedias dealing only with applied or technical chemistry. Indeed another Italian compilation is probably the only one on similar lines, Le., Nuova Enciclopedia d i Chimica, founded by Guareschi and continued by others in thirteen volumes. I n the volume under review much is open to criticism, chiefly on the ground that subjects are inadequately dealt with. More modern work is often omitted, e.g., molecular association is chiefly devoted to the work of Ramsay and Shields, or under such headings as catalysis, etc. On the other hand, many good accounts are given, e.g., of the history of the atomic theory, crystal form, chemical affinity, etc. On the technical side the detail given is not always distributed proportionately to the importance of the subject considered, but, as is to be expected, materials important to, or products of, Italian industry are exceptionally well done, e.g., boric acid. This first volume contains twenty-eight tables and five hundred and sixty-five illustrations. Should the succeeding volumes maintain the high standard already achieved, the whole should prove a useful and necessary work of reference. W. H. PATTERSON.
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L’Azkotropisme. L a tension de vapeur des mdlanges de liquides. Bibliographie. By MAURICELECAT.24.5 x 16 cm.; viii 264 pp. (Printed on one side of the paper only). Brussels: Lamertin, 1932. Price: 15 belgas. Azeotropy is a subject of increasing importance both in the research laboratory 825
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