covered the literature on the entire field of hydrocarbon isomerization. The baok should he of interest not onlv t o techualoxists but also t o the organic chemist, since isomerization is one of the important types of hydrocarbon reactions and is a useful tool in organic syntheses. The authors have done an exellent job in organizing and presenting a great mass of data, culled from some 700 literature articles and patents. They have successfully avoided an encyclopedic treatment of the data, and produced a h w k which is readable. The subject matter is clsssified by groups of hydrocarbons. and coven the oaraffins. alefins. acetvlenes. cvclonaraffins, cycloolefins, and aromatic; ~ a c clas; h of h&-bon is further broken down into subclasses, so that information on any particular compound or group is readily accessible. Most of the chapters are opened with a discussion of reaction mechanism; "since there is no general theory of isomerization, a specific theory is required for almost every type of change encountered in bydrocarhou isomerizations. Only those explanations which adapt themselves readily and unequivocally are retained herein and applied t o the various hydrocarbon isomerizations." Obviously, the theories or explanations, whiie they are interesting and sometimes ingenious, add little to our understanding of isomerizatian. A particularly uxful f u t u r e of the hook is the table of isomerization data, a ~ u -~ pyin nearly 200 pages. "The available exprri- a mental data have been calcdated t i a uniform basis wherever possible. for the purpose of comparing catalyst concentration, time, temperature, pressure, and yield of products for more than 1700 eroeriments." -~~~ - ~ ~ * ~ - - - ~ ~ - - - ~ ~ - ~ An appendix brings the data up t o February 1. 1942. This appendix also includes a digest of the most important patents, classified by compounds isomerized and by catalysts.
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' V o ~ m r ANALYSIS. c Val. I. I. M. Kolthoff, University of Minnesota, and V. A. Slengcr, Dow Chemical Company. Second Revised Edition. Interscience Publishers, Inc., New York, 1942. xv f 309 pp. 31 figs. 15 X 23 cm. $4.50. This is the firit volume of a new edition of this comprehensive treatise on Volumetric Analysis; mrlier editions appeared &st in German and later in linglish mnslation. The second volume is stated by the publishers to be in preparation. The general character of Volume I of the new edition is like that of orecediur editions since it deals with the fundamentals of the thmry of volumetricaualysis. Thcauthors have managed tu allow this edition to ineraseonly twenty pages over thc extcnt of the translation. This apparent lack of expansion is misleading 'since a chapter on the stability of solutions has beeu transferred to appropriate spots in the second volume and many other condensations have been made to allow for the introduction of new material. A brief chapter, I , on introductory matters has been added. The next three chapters, 11, 111, and IV cover Neutralizations and Combinations of Ions, Curves for these reactions, and Oxidation-Reduction Reactions in much the same fashion as the earlier editions, but with modernization and with fresh illustrative material in a number of cases. Chapter V on Indicators has been almost doubled (increased from 33 t o 54 pages), the increase being accounted for largely by a very thorough review (35 pp.) of oxidation-reduction indicators. Chapter VI an Titration Error is little changed. Chapter VII on Catalysis and Induced Reactions bas been considerably revised. Much new material, especially on caprecipitation and mixsrystal formation has been added to Chapter VIII on Adsorption and Coprecipitation Phenomena. Chapter I X on Volumetric Methods of Organic Analysis has beeu revised. The chief novelty in Chapter X on Methods for the Determination of the Equivalence-Point is a section on Palarimetric or Amoerometric Titratious. A twopage section on Activiry Constants and Concentration Constants has been added t o thc Appendix which has nlsa useful tnhlcs on Ionbation Constants. Solubility Products and Complcx-Dissociation Constants, ~
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The authors have made a thorough and competent revision, and the publishers have produced an attractive volume that is easy t o read. A moderate amount of fine print has been used t o mod advantare. The volume can be recommended t o students and teachers as the best existing source of information on the fundamentals of
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AND CnEMlCAL GROWTH IN CHILDHOOD.Volume I. EVALUATION. Icie G. Macy, Ph.D., Director of the Research Laboratorv of the Children's Fund of Michiean. First Edition. ~ h a r l c sC. Thomas. Spriogfdd. Ill.. 1912. xxiv 432 pp. RO figs. IS X 23 cm. S5UO postpaid. A recent lecture by Dr. Anton J. Carlson posed the question: "The newer knowledge of nutrition-how much of i t is knowledge?" Dr. Macy's baok gives an answer that should bring reassurance to the critics of "the science of nutrition." This volume, the f i s t of two (the second will be called "Interpretation") reports the results of a ten-year investigation by Dr. Macy and her collaborators to establish standards of growth and development far the normal child. Although the chief interest of the group has been centered in biochemical determinations, the data include "pediatric, anatomic, psychometric, physiologic. anthropometric, roentgenologic, and chemical" observations. The plan of the metabolic studies is given in detail with exact directions for the selection and training of the subjects, methods of collectiou of excreta, sampling of food, urine and feces for analysis, the planning of diets, and the organization of a practical and workable routine. There is a useful discussion of the accuracv of dietarv values. and tables are e v e n which show the differences found between calorimetric, chemical, and calculated values. Accounts of the earlier work upon which the present-day standards are hased are supplied with copious references. The results treated statistically are included in numerous tables and inserted in these discussions. This method of presentation makes for easier reading of a mass of figures and adds point and value t o the figures. Valuable data are included in chapters on digestion, energy metabolism, metabolic balances. and hematochemical studies. At times the style is difficult and the growing (and lamentable) habit of coining verbs is reflected in "footnoted" and "excerpted." A number of typographical errors mar the usual excellence of a Thomas hook. Omission of hyphens and of letters and a few misspelled words and other errors occui. No doubt these mistakes will he corrected in a subsequent printing. As a guide to methods, this hook should he included in the library of every student of metabolism and of nutrition. The suggested modifications for chemical methods are hased on the author's experience and should prove useful. One wonders a t the inclusion of certain methods in unmodified form since the original methods are available generally. The results in the present volume will be invaluable to the experienced worker in this field; with the additional volume the value t o the clinician and t o the student will be increased. The amount of work which these determinations entailed was enormous. Dr. Macy's remarkable gift for organization is apparent in the careful planning of each detail which was necessary to carry out long balance experiments with children from 4 to 12 years of age. The figures on minerals, t o cite but one part of the study, give us the story of chemical growth of hone in as complete a form as metabolism methods on living children allow. These figures, together with the information on tissue growth and the development of physiological functions obtained simultaneouslv. .. make an imnortaut addition to the newer knowledee " of nutrition. With a director of Dr. Macy's competence and imagination, these nutrition studies should satisfy even so exacting a scientist as Dr. Carlson.
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