In the opinion of this revieu-er, t,he book succeeds eminently in its avo\,-ed purpose. True, many an experin~entalist xill lay the book aside early, complaining that it contains too much mathematics, hot people who take this attitude must then restrirt themselves to the purely qualitative picture, which involves "undoubtedly great dangers in the employment of purely qualitative or pictorial wave mechanics." The book is not intended, and does not give an exhaustive treatment of the subject; however, it should serve admirably to provide the senior, the beginning graduate student, or the experimentalist a few years out of school, with a n introduetion to the subject. Fallowing an introductory rhapter which aims to derive or justify the Schrodinger equation in terms whirh do not too much appeal to this reviewer, three chapters deal with problems whirh can be solved exactly: the particle in the box, the rotator, and the hydrogen atam. Next follows an introduction to approximation methods, variation and perturbation theory, and its use in the treatment of the helium atom. There follows the treatment of the hydrogen molerule and the hydrogen molecule ion. In a chapter on polyelectranic a t o m and diatomic molecules, the subject of hybridization is covered along very conventional lines. The chapter on organic polyatomie molecules is reetricted to r electron theory. A final chapter deals with inorganic polyatomic molecules, and treats a variety of different types in a very qualitative manner. Four appendices on particular mathematical points do not add too much to the usefulness of the book. There is no question that the author has faced a tremendous problem, attempting to compress a vast variet3- of material into 174 small pages. Considering these problems he has done an excellent job; however, the reader will prohably, after completing this little volume, look for mare extensive treatment, pnrtic~darl? of polyatamic molecules.
H. H. JAFFE I'niwrsity of Cincinnati Cin&nati, Ohio
Comparative Biochemistry of Photoreactive Systems
Edited by Mary Belle Allen, Kaiser Foundation Research Institute, Riehmond, California. Volume 1 of the Symposia. on Comparative Biology of the Kaiser Foundation Research Institute. Academic Press, Inc., New York, 437 pp. Figs. and tables. 1960. xii 16 X 23.5 cm. $12.
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This book deals with a number of aspects of the biochemistry of pigments and the living systems in which they are found. The greater number of the articles discus plant pigments and plant systems. Emphasis is placed on photosynthesis and the biochemical function, biosynthesis, d i e tribution and chemistry of chlorophyll, carotenoids, and other photosynthetic pigments. Other subjects discussed include phototaxis, photoperiodism, photosensitivity of sea urchins, and of sea anemones,
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l o u r n d of Chemicd Education
fossil pigments, and pteridine pigments. Vision is only briefly mentioned in the articles on pigments of plant origin in animal phyla and on comparative studies of photoreceptors. There are some 26 articles in all, mostly in the nature of short reviews. These were first presented a t the First Annual Symposium on Comparative Biology of the Kaiser Foundation Research Institute. Discussion following the papers is included. The objective of presenting a useful collection of recent advances in this field seems to have h e n achieved. This success stems no doubt from an excellent selection of contributors and from the encouragement of the authors to "present. an integrated treatment of t,heir work and its relation to other developments in the field." The writing is generally good, and many of the participants have presented their latest hypotheses and conolusions as well as recent research reaults. One of the most exciting new developments in the continuing struggle to uncover the mechanism of the primary light reaction in photosynthesis is the disoovery of the apparent cooperation of different wavelengths of visible light in the primary processes. This cooperation can be studied in several ways, and appears to be related to the absorption of lieht by more than one plant pigment in asinglr plant. These phenomena are disc~tssrdfrom several paints of view by Hauo, by French and ro-workers, and by Blinks. Vishniac reports his experiments on a possible chemical role of chlorophyll in photosynthesis, and Kamen makes a strong ease for the involvement of hematin compounds in the early stages of energy conversion during phatosynthesiea point of view which s e e m to be gaining in popularity despite opposition. Printing, formulas, tables, and figures are sstisfeetory for the most part, though occasionally lettering on figures has been reduoed to a siae requiring microscopic examination. There is an author index and s 16page subject index. As a reference, this book has most value to the research worker studying photosynthesis or comparative plant biochemistry, but it will d m be of use to plant biochemists, plant physiologists, botanists, biochemists, and chemists with interests in photochemistry and pigments.
W. West; XXIX.' Infrared Speetroscopy, by D. H. Anderson,* N. B. Woodall,' and W. West; XXX. Colorimetry and Photometric Analysis, by W. West; XXX. Colorimetry and Photometric Analmis. bv W. West: XXXI.' Determination df F'luorescence and Phosphorescence, bv N. Wotherswon* and Gerald Oster:* XXSII.* ~ i g h tScattering, by Geraid Oster;* XXXIII. Polarimetry, by W. Heller and D. D. Fitts;* XXXIV.* Optical Rotatory Dispersion, by W. Klyne and A. C. Parker; XXXV. Streaming Birefringence, by H. A. Scheraga* and R. Signer; XXVI.* The Kerr Effect, by Catherine G. Le Fevre and R. J . W. Le Fevre; XXVIL* Determination of the Faraday Effect, by C. E. Waring and R. L. Custer; XXXVIII. Measurement of Dielectric Constant and Loss, by J. G. Powles and C. P. Smyth; XXXIX. Determination of Dipole Moments, by C. P. Smyth. The asterisked sections are new in this edition. The new authors are also asterisked. I t is clear that a major oart of thi? edition of Volume I , Part .III; has been ren,ritten, or is new. The authors have done well.
J. A. CAMPBELL Hamey Mudd College Claremont, Calijmia
Physical Methods of Organic Chemistry. Part 4
Edited by Arnold Weissberger, Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, New York. 3rd revised ed. Interscience Publishers, 969 pp. Inc., New York, 1960. xii Figs. and tables. 16 X 23.5 em. $26.
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Parts I, 11, and I11 have already been 37,552 (1960), reviewed in Tnrs JOURNAL 38, 222 (1961) and above. Part IV contains the following sections: XL. and Microwave Spectroscopy, by B. P. Dailey; XLI.* Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, by H. S. Gutowsky; XLII.* Paramagnetic Resonance Absorption, by George K. Fraenkel; XLIII. Determination of Magnetic Susceptibility, by P. W. Selwood;' XLIV. Potentiometry, by C. Tanford* and S. Wawaonek;* XLV. ConductoDemetry, by T. Shedlovsky; XLVI.' J. A. B A S S ~ A M termination af Transference Numbers, by M. Spiro; XLVII. Electrophoresis, by University of Calijomia D. H. Moore; XLVIII. Polsrography, Berkeley by 0. H. Muller; XLIX." ControlledPotential Electrolysis, by Louis Meites; L. Determination of Radioactivity, by Bert M. Tolhert* and William E. Siri*; LI. Mass Spectrometry, hy David W. Stewart Physical Methods of Organic Chemistry. An index to the whole of Volume I is Part 3 included. The asterisked chapters are Edited by Amold Weissbwger, Eastman neu. in this edition. The new authors are Kodak Company, Rochester, New York. also asterisked. I t is clear that this Part 3rd revised ed. Interscience PubIV, Volume I, has been considerably exlishers, Inc., New York, 1960. xii panded, and very much rewritten. The 835 pp. 16 X 23.5 om. Figs. and contributors and editor Weissberger are t o tables. $24.50. be congratulated on the overall excellence of the presentations. Parts I and I1 have already been re37, 552 (1960) viewed in Tars JOURNAL, J. A. CAMPBELL and 38, 222 (1961), respectively. T h k Hamey Mudd College book contains the following sections: Clmernat, Calijmza XXVIII. Spectroscopy and Spectropho(Cmtinued on page A.548) tometry in the Visible and Ultraviolet, hy
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