FEBRUARY, 1950
113
HeImont and Helvetius with their tales of the Alchemic Messiah ordinarily possmed by chemistry students a t that level." Accomplete this cycle of marvelous ~ t u r i of r goldnuking. cording to their definitions, "the broad field of radiochemistry" Pngea 79-191 examine a great numl,er of early chemistry pub- includes nuclear chemistry (as the "reactions of nuclei and the lications in a detailed and critiml faahion which reflectr much properties of resulting nuclear species") and tracer chemistry credit on the author, and will win the gratitude of chemists who (excluding stable isotopes), hut does not include radiation ehemhave no access to these rare volumes. Writings include Seton's istry which "is really closely related to photochemistry." "A New Light in Alchemic" (1604); Beguin's "Chymical BeThe chapter headings indicate the relative emphasis on physics ginner" (1608); Davidson's "Philosphia Pyrateehnica" (1633- and chemistry. They sre: ( I ) Naturally Occurring Radioactive 35); Glauber's works; Le Febure's "A Compleat Body of Substances; (11) Atomic Nuclei; (111) Kuclear Reactions; (IV) Chymistry" (English translation, 1664); Glaser's "Compleat Sources of Bombarding Particles; (V) Quantitative Treatment of Chymist" (English Translation, 1677); and Lemery's "Course of Radioactive Processes; (VI) Types of Radioactive Decay; (VII) Chymistry" (first English edition, 1677). Eighteenth century Interactions of Rediations with Matter: (VIIII Inrtruments for chemistry is reflected in Boerhaave's "Elements Chemiae" Radiation Detection and ~easurement;'(Ix) Statistical Cou(1732) and in the lectures, letters. and works of Josevh Black: siderations in Radioactivity Measurements; (X) Techniques for and the nineteenth eentnri, by extensive quotations kom ~ r c : Measurement and Study of Radiations; (XI) Identification, ConMamet's popular "Conversetions in Chemistry'' between Mrs. centration, andIsolation of RadioactiveSpecies: (XII) Chemistry B., Caroline, and Emily, whioh, with its 160,000 copies of its of Low Concentrations and tho Study of new Elements; (XIII) sixteen American editions, had, by 1853,. qualified for Boak-of- Tracers in Chemical Applications. The Appendix, which occupies the-Century Club. Finally there is a section on the early history about 100 pages, includes an extensive table of all well-established of gases. nuclear species and some of their oharacterist,ics. Tho remainder of the book is below the author's par. The In conformity with their aim of preparing a textbook, rather picture of chemistry in the nineteenth 'century is too sketchy. than a work of reference, the authors have not attempted to inThe section relating the author's personal experiences in the clude numerous references. There is a list of references a t the laboratories of Werner at Zurich and of Sir William Pone at end of each chapter to many standard works and to selected Cambridge anrr of l'rp?;inn irlterest only. Some iertioni hould topics in the recent literature whioh should offer a considerable hnw b c w onlirtrtl estlrely: a Iq,1.x rhnpter u~ .\uxtr:lli.,n phnt. choice of supplementary reading material to even the most "hna nothing to du stth t1.e r a d v ; " n reprint d ; t radio l,t.u.ttlt.xat ambitious student. "The exercises given a t the end of each on explosives is of necessity for popular consumption; and if the chapter are intended as an integral part of the course, and only thirty-page drama at the end of the book illustrates current with them dces the text contain the variety uf specific examples English humor, God bless America. which (the authors) consider necessary for an effective presentaThe book is not suitable as collateral reading for undergrad- +:-" ? ? uat,es, but is a must for students of chemical history. The typical chemistry btudent will not find himsplf unduly burdened by mathematical complexities or theoretical involveHUBERT N. ALYEA ments, since much of this material is presented in a descriptive manner. "."L..
WILLIAM H. HAMILL
0
Unruesezm os N O T ~DAME E No~nn;DAME. INDIANA
A NEW DICTIONARY OF CHEMISTRY
Edited by Stephen Miall and L. Mackenzie Miall. Longmana, Green and Co., New York, 1949. Second edition. ix 589 pp. 15 X 23 cm. $12.
+
Tnrs second edition has been Compkt~lyrevised by the editors so that it can be a compact reference work for all those interested in the historical and technical development of chemistry and allied sciences. In addition to definitions ot chemical terms thc dictionary contains accounts of chemical substances, chemical operations, drugs, vitamins, and other items of biochemical importance, as well as hiographies. The general character of the dictionary has been retained but new material of the last 10 years has been added to include work on atomic energy, a revised d i e cumion of drugs, and many new biographies. 0
INTRODUCTION TO RADIOCHEMISTRY
Gerhart Friedlander, Chemist, Broakhaven National Laboratory, and Joseph W. Kennedy, Professor of Chemistry, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 1949. xiii 412 pp. 22 tables. 48 figs. 15 X 21 om. $5.
+
THE developments of the last few years have completely changed the importance of the phenomena of radioactivity and their applications for chemists. Anyone who has taught, or considered teaching, a course in radiochemistry or nuclear chemistry has probably encountered the prohlem of selecting a textbook and will recognize "Introduction to Radiochemistry" as the first postwar textbook on elementary nuclear science for chemists. The authors have been quite successful with their intention t.o "prepare a textbook for an introductory course in the broad field of radiochemistry, at the graduate or senior undergraduate level, taking into account the degree of previous preparation in physics
AN INTRODUCTION TO PRACTICAL ORGANIC CHEMISTRY R. V. V. Nicholls, Associate Professor of Chemistry, MeGiU University, Montreal, Canada. Sir Isaac Pitman & Sons, Toronto, Canada, 1948. Second edition. x 226 pp. 21 figs. 15.5 X 23.5 cm. $2.50.
+
THISis a very practicsl organic chemistry manual, well written and clear. I t o m be highly recommended for some of the very good features it possesses. I t is one of the very few manuals that gives not only pr~perations,hut has the student investigate the properties of the compounds made. Like all books, however; it hasits shortcomings, but these are not serious. As in the Last edition (for review see THIS JOURNAL, 24, 362 (1947), there are two main divisions: Part I, Introduction to Laboratory Technique, and Part 11, Synthetic and Analytical Procedures. Thew are followed by a new addit,ion, Questions for Review, and then an appendix which lists the more commonly used elements and gives the Preparation of Special Reagents and Indicators. Part I contains an excellent discussion of what the student does and why. Topics covered include extraotion, which is quite well done: washine: ,.. drvine: . . distillation: andfractionation. These Inttw t w u t n p m nm pr sonted in x ntnnrw s hiell piws the arud+nt n rlrnr pirrurc < s f thrsr procc~~es.Tlw author inokv-i a rlir tinrtion b:tw~vn rnulrl& ~lisrill~tion and irnctiurral di~tillatim, but unfortunately u s ~ the s former technique in the experiments almost to the exclusion of the latter. Also taken up are decolorizing, adsorption, orystallisation, precipitation, and sublimation. Even dismantling the apparetus is discussed. I t would help here it studonts were cautioned to wait until the glassware cools s o m e what before taking the apparatus down. Students seem prone
