Recent Books An Introduction to Organic Chemistry. Ph.D., Associate ROGERJ. WILLIAWS, Professor of Chemistry, University of Oregon. D. Van Nostrand Co., Inc., 8 Warren Street, New York, 1927. ix 565 pp. 14 X 21.5 cm. $3.50.
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A new attempt to rationalize o w modern science of organic chemistry and thereby lay before the beginner in our colleges more clearly the more important phenomena which we consider as essential for a fundamental course in organic chemistry. The important relationships of organic reactions are discussed in the accepted order and the various theories which are considered acceptable today are touched upon brietly. When one considers the rapid and rigid expansion that organic chemistry is undergoing today, the reviewer believes that the present treatise has been presented with good judgment and the text should be welcomed by institutions desirous of having the subject presented in a lucid manner. The writer of the book has a real appreciation of the scientific method, but appreciates the limitations of the average student and does not, therefore, weave into his text discussions which should never be considered until the student has acquired a good fundamental knowledge of the basic principles of organic chemistry. The writer lays great emphasis an the chemical behavior of organic compounds. This is an excellent feature and much better than the introduction of complicated reactions and preparations involving rarc organic combinationj whose real significance the average student will fail to grasp. Following each chapter are introduced problems designed to test the student's knowledge of his subject. The solution of these problems calls for a real knowledge of the ground work covered by the student
and serves as a means of evaluating his scientific intelligence and resourcefulness. There are many important features which add to the general interest in a text of this character, namely, suggestions offered about books to read, references t o important journal literature, and advice as to how to use standard works and chemical journals. In other words, we find introduced throughout the book a progressive method of teaching which immediately interests us. The reviewer believes the book will meet with success. TREAT B. JOKNSON First Principles of Chemistry. F. W. door so^, M.A., Sc.D., F.I.C., University Lectwer and Demonstrator in Chemistry. Cambridge, and A. J. BERRY.M.A.. Fellow of Downing .College, University Demonstrator in Chemistry, Cambridge. Cambridge University Press, London, 1927. vi 339 pp. 43 figures. 13 X 19 cm. $2.00.
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According to the preface this book is designed to accompany lectures in the universities of England, with the thought that it would minimize time for the students otherwise taken up by writing notes in class. According t o the preface, "General principles and general methods have been emphasized throughout, and details have only been stressed where they have a special significance." This does not appear to be carried out consistently. Much attention is ~ i w n to such topics as "lfydropen-Ion Concentration" and the "Chemistry of Colloids." Discussion of the Periodic Law is very brief, while discussions of the Laws of Multiple and Reciprocal Proportions are omitted. A study of the book discloses the fact that it may very well serve the purpose stated by the authors. I n the opinion of
the reviewer, however, i t would not serve the purpose for which textbooks of elementary chemistry are used in this country. The text is unattractive and uninspiring in appearance. I t contains a negligible - - number of illustrations. There is no variety in type. The various chapters contain practically no modern teaching devices such as thought questions, problems, review questions, summaries, etc. The content of the text does not conform to what may be considered a standard elementary course in chemistry as represented by the course developed by the Division of Chemical Education. The text contains a considerable amount of physical chemistry. I n general, i t appears too difficult for a begiming text, unless used as suggested by the authors. The hook would not be suitable for use in high schools in this country nor is i t especially well adapted t o the use of freshmen in college who have not already had a year of high-school chemistry. The criticisms as suggested with respect t o the use of the hook in this country have no particular relation t o the use as designed by its authors and suggested above. H. A. CARPENTER Four TL~ousandYears of Pharmacy, An Outline of the History of Pharmacy and the Allied Sciences. CA-ES H. LAWALL. J. B. Lippincott Company, 665 pp. Philadelphia, 1927. xv 64 illustrations. 13.5 X 20 cm. $5.00.
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This volume, as the subtitle indicates, is not, strictly speaking, a history of pharmacy, since much of the material contained therein deals with the history of other sciences as shown by the following subtitles to some of the eleven chapters into which the whole is divided: "Science in Embryo," "The Kindergarten of Science," "The Origin of Universities," "A Century of Alchemistic Frenzy," "Beginning of the Renaissance,"
"The Century of Paracelsus," "The Birth of Chemistry," and "Beginnings of Modern Science." The foregoing eatraneous material has, however, been so well interwoven with that portion dealing with the history of pharmacy that it enhances rather than detracts from the value of the book t o the pharmacist. English-speaking pharmacists, in general, and teachers of pharmacy, in particular, have long felt the need of a book of this characterwritteninEnglish. Heretofore, the English-speaking pharmacist has only had available "Chronicles of Pharmacy" by A. C. Wootton and "Pictorial History of Ancient Pharmacy and Medicine" by Herman Peters, translated from the German by William Netter, both of which are excellent books in the fields which they are intended to cover, hut neither of which tell the complete story. Professor L a W d ' s hook is well written, the illustrations are good and t o the point, and in addition t o filling a want on the part of the pharmacist, it will be found t o be interesting and profitable reading for the chemist. A. G. DUMEZ Laboratory Exercises for a Brief Course in Chemistry. LYMANC. NEWELL, Boston University. D. C. Heath and Co., New York, 1927. x 152 pp. 13.5 X 20.5 cm. $1.00.
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This is a looseleaf manual with blank sheets inserted for laboratory notes. The exercises are divided into two groups: minimum and supplementary. The minimum group "consists mainly of exercises suggested by a Committee of the American Chemical Society (see Jomtmr. OF CREMICAL EDUCATION, May, 1927) as a minimum laboratory requirement for a year of chemistry." This group contains sixtytwo exercises of which thirty-eight are starred as essential and of these five are teachers' exercises. There are also sixtytwo supplementary exercises which offer material for (I) substitute experiments,
