source material is commendable as is the workmanship of the book. ARTHURH. SMITH The Normal Diet. W. D. SANSUM.The C. V. Moshy Company, St. Louis, 1927. Second edition. xiv 136 pp. 13.25 X 19.75 cm. $1.50.
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The purpose of the hook "The Normal Diet" by W. D. Sansum is well expressed in the following-"Dedicated to An Effort to Prevent Illness, Relieve Suffering, and Prolong Life through the Proper Use of Food." The book include3 a discussion of the following fundamental principleq underlying the selection of a normal diet. (1) Bulk requirements of the hody; (2) acid-ash and acetone types of acidosis; (3) caloric requirements of the hody; (4) protein requirements of the hody; (5) mineral requirements of the hody; (6) vitamin remirements of the body: (7) .. . . water requirements of the hody. In addition to the simple statements of the fundamental principles underlying the selection of a normal diet, not only a variety of normal diet menus hut also a group of special menus are presented. These illustrate the adaptation of diets both for normal physiological conditions and for various nutritional disorders. Lists of references to nutritional literature are also included. The author has presented in "The Nwmal Diet" a wealth of material of scientific recognition in a manner available to the layman. I t has been demonstrated that a consistent attempt to follow the dietary regime presented by the author does prevent suffering from the various nutritional disorders. Dr. Sansum has had sufficient experience so that the data and suggestions offered are of unusual value. The author has unfortunately retained the old spelling "vitamine" instead of "vitamin," hut has presented a most concise, accurate, and inclusive discussion of the subject. The author gives in "The Normal Diet" the best presentation available of the acid and alkaline characteristics of foods and
the response of the body to these foods. The chapters on the acid-ash and acetone types of acidosis are undoubtedly of the greatest value. "The Normal Diet" is to a considerable extent a popular hook although definitely based on scientific literature. I t includes a resum6 of the fundamental principles of physiology and physiological chemistry so expressed that they may he understood by the intelligent layman, and thus presents to him a means of understanding more about the chemistry of life. To the scientist, too, and to the student, particularly, of Home Economics and of Medicine, "The Normal Diet" presents an excellent review of material fundamental to the understanding of the choice of a diet which will promote and allow normal physiological activity. ROSALEENE ARNOLD HETLER General Chemistry. AzARrAH T. LINCOLN AND GEORGE B. BANKS. Prentice-Hall, 681 Inc., New York City, 1928. xvi pp. 133 illustrations. 23 X 15 cm. $3.50.
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The text under review is essentially of the descriptive type, as contrasted with those hooks which emphasize the teaching of the principles of chemistry and their applications. This is shown by the extensive discussion of the importance of chemistry to daily life and the industries, by the use of an unusually large number of excellent photographs and diagrams of chemical apparatus, and by the large amount of space devoted to organic chemistry, which occupies about ane-fourth of the text. I n fact, the descriptive material is so full that the text in parts becomes almost encyclopedic; thus, in the chapter on the halogens, from 50 to 60 halides are described with respect to color, hydration, hydrolysis, etc., and similar lists of other salts and of oxides are to be found elsewhere. This elaboration of descriptive details necessarily leads to drastic curtailment of the space given to the principles of chemistry. Chapter XI, for example, com-
VOL.5, NO. 9
RECENT BOOKS
prises only 10 pages of the text, yet it takes up in addition t o a general discussion of the value of theories and their limitstions, the molecular and atomic theories, including molecular and atomic weights, chemical and physical change, radicals, structural formulas, crystal structure, and the phlogiston theory. I t is therefore not surprising that the theoretical matter in general fails t o become an integral part of the text; thus, there is one chapter on ionization but thereafter one finds practically no mention of ions, no ionic equations, no interpretations of reactions on the hasis of the theory of ionization. Such a treatment of general chemistry makes necessary the explicit description of many facts which ought to be implied, were the student trained to apply the principles of chemistry to the behavior of simple substances. The use of the electrochemical series as a guide in the organization of the material seems to have led a considerable amount of difficulty, for this order is not followed
When another arrangement is substituted, the groups of qualitative analysis are used instead of the families of the periodic system. This seems unfortunate to the reviewer because it emphasizes relations based on the solubility of a few selected compounds and neglects the more fundamental relationships of chemistry. Also, the use of the electrochemical series has here resulted in an overemphasis of the polar concept of valence; that there is a marked difference between polar and nonpolar compounds is nowhere brought out. There have crept into the book, which contains so much excellent descriptive material, a number of inaccurate statements. For instance, oxygen is called the most negative and fluorine the most energetic element; energy is defined as the power of a substance t o cause change; the increase of reaction velocity with rise of temperature is explained solely on the ground of increased Emetic energy of the molecules. I n many respects also the interpretations of phenomena have not been brought up to date; the newer views con-
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cerning degree of ionization are not mentioned, the equilibrium constant is illustrated by a reaction involving strong electrolytes without considering their dissociation, the old method of partial equations, which in one case involves six steps, is used throughout for balancing reactions of oxidation and reduction. The hook is well set up, with large type that makes for easy reading and is remarkably free from typographical errors. H. I. SCHLE~INGER A, introduction
to ~~~~~~l chemistry,
WELUM M A , , ~ N B~ANCHARD, ~
~ ~ day, Doran and Company, Inc., Garden city, p~~~ york, 1928. vi + 588 pp, 11 illustrations, Xcharts, 9Ofigures. 21 x 14 cm, 83.00, The book is attractively but only fairly well bound. The page type is 10 on 12 Century and is very easy an the eyes. The paper is of a good quality; however, ink "runs" slightly on it. The impress is excellent as there are but few instances of broken type. The volume is also almost entirely free from typographical errors. There is no statement in the book as t o whether or not i t is intended alike for those who have and those who have not studied chemistry in the high school. Although this is the first edition, the author has had previous experience in the preparation of a chemistry tent, In addition, be is an experienced and sympathetic teacher and his latest product has carrespondingly profited therefrom. The fact that the manuscript was read by Professors R. A, Baker, Louis T ~ and ~ p,~B, wade , is alu, prophetic. Professar frankly admits that he consciously Used the difficulties encountemd by the average college student in the study of chemistry as his guide,, He taken
special pains tohelp the student over such troubles as the oxygen ~ " of d the ~ nalogens, the Periodic system-oxidation and R e d u d i o n a n d the Colloidal S t a t e t h e aimhasbeentointerweavetheoryand practice so that the student mayunderstand the meaning of chemistry." The book has the
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