mathematics" is brought in, and, on theother hand, there is very little of that metaphysical discussion wbich is found in the works of other recent writers on the same topics. It is difficult to give, in such a brief review, any even moderately satisfactory summary of the contents. The work of Galileo and his experiences with the Church are described in one of the most interesting chapters (the third), "The Dawn of an Era." Chapter XI, entitled "Models," should be read by all those who still fondly believe that the mathematics of Sehroedinger and Dirac is only a passing vague which will be followed by a really "understandable" interpretation of nature in "simple language." Chapter XII, the last one, entitled "Universe of Discmme," contains a summary of what the author regards as the present philosophy of science. The titles of the other chapters are as follows: I. The Causal Chain; 11. The Appeal t o Reason; IV. Number; V. The Infinite; VI. The Crisis; VII. In Quest of the Absolute; VIII. The Straight and the Flat; IX. On Rigid Standards: and X. Signals. The reviewer has no hesitation in recommending the work as containine " a well-balanced and illuminatinc discussion of the interpretation and philocophicnl inlpliwtion.; both of thc physics which prrcedcd ' t h e Crisi5" and of thoac de\rlopmmts which have occurred during the past quarter century.
hydric alcohols and related substances, oils, fats, and waxes, polybasic acids, substituted acids and derivatives, carbohydrates, and special topics, whereas the fourth division contains sixtyseven pages dealing with general information, definitions, industrial type, review equations, isomerism, synthesis, distinctions and separations, true and false types, essay type, structural proofs, comprehensive and correlative types, and Beilstein problems. A total of eight hundred thirty-five type problems, subdivided into about five thousand specificexercises, are included. Graphic formulas are included where a clear concept of the arrangement of the atoms in the molecule seems essential to the understanding of the problem. This book offers an excellent additional teaching tool t o those who are interested in supplementing their teaching by exercises and problems other than those supplied in the usual textbooks. ED. F. DEGERING P m o w U~,"Lcasrr" WEST L*s*uETre, IND,*N*
.
-
.-.
Calendra. - ~ d w a r d s Brothers, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1938. SAULDUSHMAN iv 151 pp. 21 X 27 cm. $2.50. This book represents an effort to supply a source of "objective" or "new type" questions to replace tests of the essay type. These questions are so phrased that they will fit any of the customary answer forms and thus may be rapidly or machine graded. I n order that the questions may have some continuity, the author has followed the scheme of presentation used in Briscoe's GENERALC n e M r s ~ ~FOR y COLLEGES which differs but slightly IN ORGANIC CHEMISTRY.E m a t Hemlin Htmtrws, hmm the traditional order, hence they may be used with any PROBLEMS Associate Professor of Organic Chemistry, Massachusetts In- textbook. They are arranged in thirty-nine groups correspondine - t o the chaoter headines - of Briscoe's book. The ouestim. - ~ ~ . ~ - .. stitute of Technology. McGraw-Hill Bwk Company, Iuc., New York City, 1938. xi 270 pp. 14 X 20.5 cm. $2.25. are clearly planographed on hoth side< of the pagrs and extend its full width. i.nfortunntrly, thers ii no arrangement of spaces As a basis far the production of the book, the author cites for answcrs, thus restricting rhr !I-c of the book in rranlar e l a * ~ "fifteen years' experience in teaching the introductory course in work. organic chemistry a t the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Four types of questions are used in this book: It has sprung from the growing conviction that the efforts of the I. The multible resbonse tvbe student can he greatly facilitated and his ultimate mastery of the Four possible responses are suggested to a given question. subject markedly improved when his individual study of the Any number of responses may be correct. material amply supplied by textbwks and lectures is guided by much further suggestion of what he needs t o know than can pos2. Thc multiple choice type sibly be given during class time." Faur possible choices are suggested. Only one is correct. This problem book consists of four divisions: "the first deThis type of question is useful in avoiding ambiguities voted to the monofunctional compounds of the aliphatic series. which would arise were the question stated as a multiple the second to corresponding compounds of the aromatic series. response question. and the third to polyhrnctional compounds (or compounds witb 3. The arrangement type more than one single type of function) drawn from either or both 4 . The matching type series." These four divisions are subdivided into chapters "each of wbich deals mainly witb some definite class of comEach question calls for four responses or multiples thereof up pounds. Certain parts are still further subdivided into sectians to twenty-four in number. The inquiry, statement, or situation with closely similar classes. Each part is so constructed that, that constitutes the question is followed hy or includes four stateafter suitable drill in the simpler aspects of the behavior of its ments, one or all of wbich may constitute the right answer or particular class of compounds, attention is drawn t o the co- statement. Thus the student is not aided by being advised of ordination and cumulation of the class with the classes which the number of correct responses. There are over 8100 questions, have preceded it. Throughout the book this principle of 'co- each consisting of four or more parts. ordinative cumulation' has been emphasized as a means of develThe statements are clear, simple, and direct and their meaning opment of power in the subject." A fourth division contains a should be clearly and readily understood. There are few duplimiscellaneous review and advanced problems. cations or like questions differentlyworded. Such leading words Eigbty-seven pages are given to problems on the acyclic com- as "all," "almost," "every." and guiding statements and clues pounds under the chapter headings: hydrocarbons, mono- are rarely found as well as the familiar stereotype forms so comhydric alcohols, alcohol derivatives, monohasic acids, acid de- monly used. There are many ingenious situations that require the rivatives, amides and amines, carbonyl compounds, and a review student to balance the merits of one answer against anotherof monofunctional classes. The aromatic series is covered in the "thought type" of question. eiebtv-one oaees isocvclic hvdrocarbons. No claim whatever is made for the reliability or validity of - . . .. under the headines: " aromatic halogen ron~pounds. ~rumaticcarbonyl con~pomds. these questions. They should be carefully analyzed, therefore, aromatic rarboxylir acids and t h r r derivatives, sulfonic acid
