NEW BOOKS Techniques of Glass Manipztlation in ScientiJic Research. By JCLIUSD. HELDMAK.132 pp. New York: Prenticc-Hall Inc., 1946. Price: $2.50. To any amateur who wishes to learn the a r t of glass blowing for application in the laboratory, this little work will be invaluable. It is clearly written, concise, and well illustrated and shows that the writer is well acquainted with the techniques which he describes. The work is divided into eleven chapters, one of which is devoted to the use of the hand torch. Since most scientific workers depend on professional glass-blowers for free-hand production of glass apparatus and are themselves mostly concerned with putting it into vacuum tubes with the aid of the hand torch, it appears that more attention might have been given to these manipulations than five pages; but, as the author says, the principles are the same. Like most expert glass-blowers he advises a minimum of work in a fixed position. Many valuable points of technique and manipulation outside the actual operations with glass are given: for example, in the greasing and use of stopcocks. R’a mention is made of the silicones as lubricating agents. The book is heartily recommended to all amateurs and scientific glass-blowers. S. C. TJND. drodern Chemistry. Some Sketches qf its Historical Development. By -4.J. BERRY. 236 pp. London: Cambridge University Press, 1946. Price:lOs. 6d. I n his preface the author says “an attempt has been made t o consider the development in historical perspective of certain branches of the science in separate chapters-each being nearly self-contained and independent of the others.” The object is to give a background in the modern development of chemistry for students who intend to specialize in chemistry, particularly physical chemistry. The author has chosen eight fields: classical atomic theory; electrochemistry; stereochemistry; radioactivity, elements, isotopes and atomic numbers; experimental studies on gases; problems of solutions; and essential features of chemical change. Many important branches of chemistry are thus omitted-organic chemistry, biochemistry, thermodynamics, quantum mechanics, colloid chemistry, and large-molecule chemistry are all left out. The work should perhaps be regarded as a connecting link between the older physical chemistry of the nineteenth century nnd the new of the twentieth century. Such a historical review may be valuable for students of chemistry in the present fission age t o help them t o learn something outside the atom. If it accomplishes this i t will have been worth the effort. S. C. LIND. J
\V German f o r the Scientist. By PETERF. WIENER. 238 pp. with glossary. New York: The Chemical Publishing Company, Inc., 1946. Price: $3.50. The first fifty pages consist of an elementaryintroductiont o grammar and syntactic forms. This is followed by short passages in German selected from the modern scientific literature in chemistry and physics. The volume is concluded with the translation into English of all the foregoing German selections. While the passages are admirably chosen from more than a dozen distinguished scientists and the English translations are excellent, the reviewer questions whether this easy way will really give the student a command of German adequate to his needs. Doubtless much will depend on the student and his teacher, but the method seems much too simple to inspire confidence. S. C. LIND. .;: Physical Methods of Organic Chemistry. Vol. IT. By ARNOLD WEISSBERG%R(Editor) and nine contributing authors. vii 30 pp. New York: Interscience Publishers, Inc., 1946. Price: $8.50. 489
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This book is a continuation of Volume I under the same title and contains pages 737-13G7. Dr. Weissberger has definitely recognized those physical methods which are of most valuc t o organic research men and has been fortunate in soliciting the help of outstanding authorities in the writing of the individual chapters. I t is apparent that each chapter has been written for the benefit of those who are really interested in applying the material to their own research problems. Sufficient theory is included and especial care has been taken to point out the common pitfalls which the novice might well overlook. Copious pertinent references and illustrative drawings characterize this volume, and the publisher has done an excellent job in the actual construction of the book. Volume I1 includes Chapters XVII-XXVI as follows: XVII. Spectroscopy and Spectrophotometry (by W. West) ;XVIII. Colorimetry, Photometric Analysis, and Fluorimetry (by W. West); XIX. Polarimetry (by W. Heller); XX. Determination of Dipole Moments (by C. P. Smyth) ; XXI. Conductometry (by Theodore Shedlovsky); X X I I . Potentiometry (by L. Michaelis); XXIII. Polarography (by Otto H. Muller); XXIV. Determination of Magnetic Susceptibility (by L. Michaelis) ;XXV. Determination of Radioactivity (by W. F. Bale and J. F. Bonner, Jr.); XXVI. Mass Spectrometry (by David W. Stewart). A fiftytwo-page subject index for Volumes 1 and I1 is included. The writer regards these two books as valuable additions t o his personal library and recommends them without hesitation to those engaged in organic research. RICHARDT. ARNOLD. Chemical Aspects of Light. 2nd edition, revised. By E. J . BOWEN. 300 pp. Oxford: The Clarendon Press, 1916. Price: $5.00. The author states that his treatment of the subject is deliberately extensive rather than intensive and is intended t o supplement rather than replace existing textbooks and articles. In this way i t becomes a most valuable addition to the literature in the fields of spectrochemistry, photochemistry, and the chemistry of luminescence. After an appropriate theoretics1 background, various topics are discussed with illustrat#ions. No attempt is made t o give an exhaustive treatment of experimental results in any of the fields. Specific literature references are not given, but supporting references are given for each of the eleven chapters. Special attention is given to absorption and emission spectra, fluorescence and the luminescenke of solids, photochemical-type reactions, photosynthesis, the photographic proc ess, the reaction of the eye t o light, photocells, and chemiluminescence. Divested of the necessity of dealing with a large amount of espcrimental material and of an excessively mathematical treatment the author has presented the various subjects in a comprehensible form that will attract and instruct both students and research workers. S. C. LIND. Cheniical Crystallography. By C. W. BUNN. 422 pp. London: Oxford University Press, 1945. Price: $7.50. This excellent book is nieant to serve as an introduction to the optical and s m y methods used for the identification of solid substances and for the determination of atomic configura; tions. The author is particularly well qualified to discuss t.hese applications because of years of experience with them in a large industrial chemical laboratory. The treatment has been directed t o the chemist and his application of the techniques, and the rigorous and detailed development of physical theory is largely excluded. The author hss an especially clear style in explaining the elementary principles involved, and has illustrated them with many escellent drawings and half-tone reproductions. Xumerous references have been included for following up any subject in greater detail. -4fter an Introductory Survey the book is divided into t!vo Sections: 1. Identification, and 2. Structure Determination. The following chapters are listed under the heading “Identificnflon”: 11. The Shapes of Crystals; 111. The Optical Properties of Crystals; IV. Identification of Transparent Crystals under the h4icroscope;V. Identification by X-ray
