S E W BOOKS
G2T
scribed for all impurities t h a t may be encountered in reagents. Ilowcver, it would sceni t o be preferable in a future edition t o include tests for specific heavy metals such as copper, zinc, a n d lead in a good many reagents for which only the general hydrogen sulfide test is given at present. Moreover, inclusion of directions for the assay of inore organic reagents, such as dithizone and thioglycolic acid, would be helpful.
E . n .S . ~ S U E L L .
, a t the University u i Zurirh. Second Organic Chemistry. B y P.AUI,K A R R E RProfessor English edition (based on the eighth (1942) German edition), translated by A . J. Mee 7 x 10 in.; 953 pp. New York City: Elsevier Publishing Company, Inc., 1916. Price: $7.50. Like its predecessor, this new edition of a \vell-knomi book presents in a descriptive way representative facts from the immense body of data considered of interest and importance by the classical organic chemist. I n addition to covering fundamentals in a systematic and interesting fashion, i t deals with probably a wider range of subjects t h a n any other single volume on organic chemistry. Thus it is of value t o a student or t o a research worker who may wish t o become acquainted with a field outside t h a t in which he is expert. I t contains comparatively few (166) references to the original literature, but this is more than compensated for by numerous references to texts in specialized subjects. I t is well indexed. I n order t o give the book its comprehensive character, some sacrifice in detail has necessarily beenmade, andaspecialist may be disappointed with the treatment which has heen given t o the subject of his particular interest. Such disappointment will be least for a chemist dealingwith natural products, and greatest for a physico-organic chemist,inasmuch as some topics (terpenes, sterols, vitamins, etc.) are particularly well done, while kinetics, thermodynamics, catalytic action, reaction mechanisms, electronic formulations, e t c . , are practically ignored. Thk author’s attitude toward theoretical discussions (and the level attained in them) is typified in the following quotation from the chapter on fuchsone dyes (page 592), concerning the structure of salts derived from aminotriphenylcarbinols. “ T h e problem resolves itself into xhether the carrier of the positive charge in these rompounds is nitrogen or c a r b o n “There is no apace t o discuss this question, which is not by any nieans solved. Indeed its importance is easily over-estimated. Both formulae (quinoid immonium salt and benzenoid carbonium s a l t ) , like all our structural formulae, can only give a n approximate idea of the affinity relationships within the molecule, and leave out of consideration the forces between atoms which are not directly linked with each other. I t is quite possible t h a t in the dye salts and dye bases of the triphenylmethane dyes, in one case the nitrogen and in r ~ t h e cases r the carbon gives up an electron, and thus becomes the bearer of the charge of the positive ion.” Such adherence t o the principles of classical structural theory characterizes all of the author’s work. I n the book under consideration, this leads t o a n excellent organization of the material, and gives it both :iforn: easily understood by any chemist and a n aspect of comfortable authority. Readers who are not able t o carry on research themselves will find the book a valuable source of information within the limits noted above. Of those who are in a position t o do original work, some will be stimulated by i t t o continue advances along classical lines, others t o produce theoretical interpretations of d a t a i t contains. The work of the translator, that of the composer, and t h a t of the printer are of excellent quality. C.F.IEOELSCH.
Steroid Chains a s Components of Protein and Carbon .lfolecules. B y THEODORE VAS SCHELVEX. 15 x 25 cm.; 62 pp.; 8 fig. Amsterdam (Holland) : Kosmos Publishing Company, 1046. Price: $3.00.
628
NEW BOOKS
The author of thia booklet is a man of rare ability and unusual courage. I n addition t o the present volume he has turned out three other works under the following titles: Il‘ciss Magnetons as Components of Nuclear and Subnuclear Slructures (1946); Experiments 011 the Presence of Carcinogenic Compounds in Human Surroundings (1916); and A n Introduction io Definitiue Philosophy and Basic Psychology (1916). van Schelven has recognized the incomplete state of our knowledge of protein structure and the difficulty of isolating these substances from their native habitats without modification. “Assuming t h a t the protein has a regular structure and is built up of more or less congruent hydrocarbon units, the problem is t o find the configuration in which the atoms of the amino acids in proteins may be arranged in a regular manner in some geometrid pattern.” He suggests “ t h a t the native protein is a quadric structure.” “This elongated, rectangular tube consists of 4 side walls, 4 flat steroid poly-chrysane chains, perpendicular to each other. Living protein may be a micellar aggregate of these prismatic, quadraugular, parallel molecular tubes arranged in a regular mosaic”, etc. I t is apparent that the author is entranced with the prevalence of sis-memhered rings in organic compounds and uses this common structural feature as a basis for the statement t h a t steroids are “protein fossils” which conserve “many peculiarities typical for protein tetracts.” Unfortunately the author discusses a \vide variety of topics only remotely related to the central thesis. Aside from a few typographical mistakes, the reader soon becomcs aware of some obvious errors in the text. Steroids are w i t t e n as polyhydrochrysanes rather than cyclopentanophenanthrenes,and proposals concerning the chemistry of tricyclo(Z,2,2,2)decane indicate a serious lack of background in fundamental organic chemistry. His suggestion t h a t “ i t may be possible to esterid the physical theories of relativity, statistics, quanta, and wave machanics t o atoms underlying t h r phenomena of life” is well within the realm of possibility. Most readers. I believe, \vould be happy if, within their natural lifetimes, i t will be possible to calculate “from scratch” the result of the simplest reactions of organic compounds. I n s p i t e of theinterestinggeometrical pattern proposed for proteins in t h e i r n a t i v e s t a t r , the reviewer found himself exhausted after being exposcd to this maze of facts and fancies. RICHARDT.ARSOLIJ.
Textbook of Physical Chemistry. By SAlinxL GLASSTOXI:. ond cdition. G x 9; in.; xiii 1320 pp, S e w York: D. Van S o s t r a n d Co., Inc., i946. Price: 59.00. I n preparing the second edition of this well-known test: the author has introduced few important changes. The general organization is the same, and most of thc chapters art) substantially unchanged. The total number of pages has been iiicrcasrd froni 1289 to 1320. A slight saving of space has been effected by reducing the scalc of a fcw diagrams, particularly in the first chapter. The hook has been “modernized” by introducing bricf discussions of such topics as the meson, S i e r ’ s mass spectrograph, nuclear isomerism, pluto nium, the atomic bomb, etc. The thermodynamic symbols and 1 erniinology havr been altered to conform to the conventions of Le\vis and Handall. One rsccption is t h a t the term “thermodynamic potential” and the symbol p have berii retained in preference to Lewis’ “partial molal free energy” and F . I n chapter VI11 the prcscnt edition is in agreement with standard American usage i n that the adjective molar i F substituted for niolce.. ular, as inmolar volume, molar refraction, etc. The order of presentation has been changed in the section on electromotive force and the discussion somewhat amplified. I n several chapters the subheadings have been simplified. On the whole, the niodificatiorls are not of such a nature as to change the popularity of this text. Its supporters \vi11 probably rrniain a s ardent a s before and its critics as unconvinced of its merits. The present, edition is clearly printed on white opaque paper. One unfortunate consequence of the use of heavier paper is that the thickness of the volume has been increased from about 2: to 3+ in., and its weight from 3% to 5; pounds. The present book is S O unwieldy t h a t i t is to be hoped that thinnerpaper will be usedin futureeditionsand printings. ROBERTL I V ~ X G S T O X ,
+
