university dissertations have been published annually far many years. Of the many dissertations accepted each year only about onethird ever appear in print. Also universities now make it an almost universal practice to file full manuscript theses in duplicate, and to make copies available through inter-library loan For these reasons this publication is a necessary one. I n form, the list is very similar to, and continues, the annual list in the field of science, issued since 1920 by the National Research Council. Its scope has been broadened to cover all fields of study; and that there may be no break in the statistical record, the dissertations in the field of science have been classified in the same subject groups used in the N.R.C. series, those for other fields being selected on much the same basis. Far greater convenience, the list has heen arranged in seven main divisions: Philosophy, Religion, Physical sciences. Earth sciences. Biological sciences, Social sciences, Literature, and Art. While the arrangement is an arbitrary one, it follows in a general way the organization of American universities into divisions and departments, and the finding of material is further facilitated by a general subject cross-index and an author index. When theses appear in print, mention of this fact is made also. Each annual number contains, as supplementary material. records of previous theses lists, annual lists of doctoral dissertations in progress, statistical tables showing doctorates in science according to subject, and distribution of doctorates by university bv , subiect. There is also a table showinr the oresent nractice in all univcr.iities whose theses arc listrd, a< to th* publirarion and loaning of their own diwcrtations The publishers suggest that librarirs wiqhing l o order rherc lists annually as they appear file continuation orders with them for the series.
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IX. Condensation, The earlier chapters are valuable for reference, as they bring out the historical development of ideas and methods, but make tedious reading, as each experiment is described in detail with weight of material taken, amount of catalyst, temperature and time of heating, initial and final pressures. amount of product and boiling ranges of the fractions obtained from it, analyses of the gases and other data. A large part of the 167-page chapter on hydrogenation is devoted to experiments bearing on the relative efficiencies of reduced nickel and of nickel oxide. Chapters X and X I on theories of catalysis and on polymerization are more modern and of more timely interest. The importance of water, bothin hydrogenation andinoxidation, is strongly emphasized. Chapter XI1 is on catalytic alkylation and XI11 on destructive alkylation. The book closes with an appendix on the most modern subject of polymer gasoline with a picture of a plant and data on the product. The b w k is an important contribution t o the history, theory, and practice of catalysis. E. E M M REID ~ 203 E A S T ~ ~ R D S T R B B T BILTIMOBB, MAWLAND
HANDBOOK OF ENOINEERING FUNDAMENTALS. Prepared by a Staff of Specialists under the Editorship of Ovid W. Eshbuh. Volume I of Wiley Engineering Handbook Series. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New Yark City. 1936. xii 1081 pp. 576 illustrations. 14 X 21 cm. $4.00.
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This baok is the first volume of a set of handbooks in mechanical and electrical engineering. It has as its purpose the presentation of the fundamental material underlying all engineering. CATALYTIC REACTIONS AT HIOHPRESSURBS AND TEMPERATURES.This volume is t o be followed by four volumes, two in the field of Vladimn N. Ipalieff, formerly Professor a t Artillery Academy, mechanical engineering and two devoted to electrical engineering. St. Petersburg, now Professor a t Northwestern University, and All four are revisions of the existing works known t o engineers by Director of Chemical Research. Universal Oil Products Co. the names of their chief editors. Kent and Pender. The new set The Macmillan Co., New York City. 1936. xii f 786 pp. of handbooks will be less bulky and will also avoid duplicated 55 figs. 14 X 22 cm. $7.50. material t o a very large extent, the space formerly taken up by fundamentals being partially devoted to fuller treatment of This hook is unique in its purpose and in its execution. The various more specialized topics in the four volumes that follow the author says of it in his foreword, "This baok is my chemical Eshbach text. This volume on fundamentals includes contributions by forty autobiography. For that reason no attempt was made to collect the literature or to include the work of others except in special different authors. At least two other competent engineers have cases where it wa4 desirable t o emphasize and develop certain checked each section, and the mare important tables have been features, or where it was considered t o have a direct bearing upon checked aeainst a t least two sources hv different individuals. The suhjrct matter includes mathematical and physical tables. my own researches." There are, however, about nine hundred references t o the work of some four hundred fifty authors, ex- a fairly complete review of mathematics, and sections on physical units and standards, theoretical mechanics. mechanics of maclusive of the author's co-workers. terials and of fluids, engineering thermodynamics, electricity and Two great names stand out in catalysis: Sabatier and Ipatieff. Sabatier is far better known; his researches were published in magnetism, radiation and light, acoustics, meteorology, chemisFrench, and he wrote a remarkable book on catalysis. published try, metallic and nan-metallic materials, and a brief discussion of in 1920 and translated into Enelish and German. The two in- contracts. vestigalors startcd at nearly the hame time and coverrd much the The section on chemistry is necessarily very hrief and is apparently intended only as a summary and review. I t includes same ground but wrrc wided by different theories and employcd difirent methods. Sabatier's experimcnts were made at atmos- the common scheme of separation of metals, same discussion of pheric pressure commonly with gases or vapors; Ipatieff usually electrochemistry, and a description of those elements and comworked with liquids under high pressures, measured in tens or pounds that are of industrial importance. Checking of this book with the current handbooks of chemistry, hundreds of atmospheres, and a t higher temperatures. Ipatieff's investigations were published almost exclusively in Russian, and. physics, and chemical engineering reveals somewhat less duplicathough they were known t o the world through the abstract tion than has been the case with handbwks in mechanical and ioumals and were mentioned bv other authors ffortv-three times electrical engineering. It supplements very admirably the handin Sabstier's baok). few outside of his own country have realized books used by those working in the field of chemical industry, and the extent and the importance of his pioneer work. Ile was the will probably meet a variety of needs. I t is certainly a most first to hydrogenate in the liquid phase and to study promoters. valuable text far all engineering students. The book is well bound in flexible covers; the type, the size of As should be in an autobiography the chapters are arranged chronologically. The iirst nine chapters with the periods that page. and the paper make it easily read; and the division into they cover are: I. Dehydrogenation 1901-1902; 11. Dehydra- sections, each of which carries its independent sequence of page numbers, is convenient. tion of alcohols 1901-1904; 111. Decomposition of acids 19031904: IV. Isomerizatiou 1904-1906: V. Hvdroeenation 1905W. T. READ 1906; VI. Promoters 1911; VII. ' ~ydro&&on of m i n e s R u r ~ s aU s ~~vansrrv and metallo-organics; VIII. Destructive hydrogenation; and NEW Baorrs*mr, Nsw Jsassv
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