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JOURNAL OF CHEM:ICAL EDUCATION
APRIL.1932
over 1G5,000workers. Not only are the biographical sketches of eminent men. I t industries described and discussed in con- contains some useful outlines and charts. siderable detail, but there are fascinating and while, as stated, it is couched in language which the Layman can understand. references to such pioneers as Faraday, Davy, Pasteur, and others, and their pro- it is rich in references valuable t o the techfound inhence on associates who became nologist, and has many interesting chronothe very founders of many of these indus- logical tables on the development of the tries. Due credit is given to the scientists various industries. Every teacher of chemistry should read of central and western European nations. without whose discoveries and develop- this volume in which he will find, in addiments British industry could not have tion t o those already mentioned, such progressed t o the high state of perfection familiar individuals as the inventor of which has been attained. We read of the Daniel1 Cell, the founder of the Nobel Haber. Hofmann, von Wellsbach, and Prize, Messrs. Pattinson and Parkes, whose processes for silver recovery all of others too numerous to mention. The b w k is generomdy illustrated with us have taught, etc., etc. Mr. Miall is to portraits including James Muspratt, whose be congratulated and thanked for a presons were among the founders of the Soci- cious contribution. SILVERMAN ALEXANDER ety of Chemical Industry, and whose deUNIVBRSITY OF PIrrSSUROH scendants have been ever active in chemiPITTSBUPOR. PHNNA. cal manufacture and in the activities of the Society; Walter Weldon, whose first patent covered the Weldon Process, fa- .Introduction to Agricultural Biochemistry. R. ADAMSDu~cnEn,Professor of Agrimiliar to every student of chemistry, which cultural and Biological Chemistry, and not only added to British national wealth. DENNISE. HALEY,Professor of Soil and but resulted in the lowering of the cost of Phytochemistry. The Pennsylvania paper and cotton goods; Dr. Ludwig John Mond, who, with Sir John Bnmner, devel- ' State College. First edition. York City, Wiley and Sons, Inc., New oped the Solvay Process in England, and 484 pp. 98 Figs. 15 X 1932. x whose gas reactions applied to metallurgy 23 cm. $4.50. founded the Mond Nickel Company; Sir William H. Perkin, father of synthetic dye This book is intended for students of manufacture; Dr. Henry S. Wellcome (an agricultural biochemistry who have had American) associated with the well-known training in both inorganic and organic firm of pharmaceutical manufacturers chemistry and as a reference book. which has done so much to encouragephar- It is divided into three parts: I. General maceutical research; Count Hilaire de and Introductory; 11. The Plant; and Chardonnet who gave the world its first 111. The Animal. The first part, which new textile fiber in over a thousand years is introduced by a chapter on the history and who is one of the western Europeans of agricultural chemistry and one conincluded in this treatise on British indus- taining some general statements on the try; Sir Robert Hadfield, discoverer of chemistry of living matter, reviews the manganese steel, silicon steel, and other chemistry of the carbohydrates, the fats alloys; John B. Orr, discoverer of the im- and related compounds, the proteins, and the enzymes. A chapter is devoted to a portant pigment, lithapone; Michel Eugene Chemul, the first properly t o explain review of physical chemical principles soap formation, and to study the side which apply especially t o biological and products. These are only a few of the agricultural chemistry. A considerable portraits of eminent men whose precious number of rather elementary facts are given briefly t o establish a connecting contributions are discussed. The volume is generous in its content of link between previous work and the more
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VOL.9. NO. 4
RECENT BOOKS
advanced and specialized discussion which is presented. Organic compounds of biological importance are treated in considerably greater detail than in most beginning organic tents, thus laying a good foundation for the later discussion of their significance in living organisms. The second part covers such topics as seed germination, the soil, soil acidity, farm manure, fertilizers, the atmosphere, insecticides and fungicides, absorption of mineral material by planti, assimilation of mineral material by plants, plant carbohydrates, plant lipids. vegetable proteins and related eompounds, and respiration. The third part covers such topics as foods and feeding stuffs, digestion of foods, the body tissues, n~etabolicchanges in tissues, energy metabolism, biological response to foods, protein quality, vitamin A, vitamin B complex, vitamin C, vitamin D and ultra-violet light, and vitamin E The attention of the reader is called to the importance of research work by frequent reference to the work of research workers and the methods used in typical research problems. This has been done, the authors indicate in the preface, to "emphasize the importance of scientific research" in order t o develop the interest of the students. The fact that many problems in biochemistry are yet t o be solved is emphasized by frequently presenting the differing opinions of various investigators. The text is well supplemented by tables of typical data selected from the literature. References to general reading are appended to each chapter. Ninety-eight well-selected illustrations, including many portraits of prominent research men. add much to the attractiveness and value of the hook. The mechanical make-up of the book is good except for a few short pages caused by having t o carry over structural formulas to the following pages. It would seem preferable in a chemistry text such as this to use the form "sdium nitrate" rather than "nitrate of
789
soda" even though the latter nomenclature may be common in the fertilizer industry. This criticism applies to various other compounds mentioned in the chapter on fertilizers. The text in general is very well written and the book should not only be an excellent text but valuable as a reference book both t o those engaged in agricultural chemical work and those in other fields who must occasionally refer t o material in this field. L. K. ARNOLD srr'"e co,.,.eon Axes, IOWA
IOWA
Von Libau his Liebig: Chemikerkapfe und -Laboratorien (From Libavius to Liebig: Chemical Apparatus and Laboratories). F n r n FERCHL,Druck und Verlag von Arthur Nemayer, Mittenwald (Bayern), Germany, 1930. 17 X 21.5 cm. 48 leaves, unnumbered. Unbound, R.M. 5.5; Bound. R.M. 7. This book has a preface of two printed pages, or one leaf, and the rest of it is devoted to pictures. There are pictures of apparatus and laboratories, many of them depicting important chemical processes as vrried out in the past or experiments famous in the history of chemistry. There are reproductions of celebrated paintings of alchemists and of rare portraits of chemists. There are pictures of apothecary shops and of tables of alchemical symbols. The pictures are accompanied by brief accounts of their history or significance, and the portraits by brief biographies. The classic histories of chemistry contain few or no pictures. Recent ones are illustrated hut none of them contain all or nearly all of theinteresting pictures which are found in this fascinating little book. Ferchl's book ought to be in every library of the history of chemistry, and in every school or college library of chemistry which pretends to be more than a mere repository of information. I t will be of value to teachers who wish to stimulate the interest of students. I t will be of value t o teachers and to chem-
