JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL EDUCATION
472 It seems to the reviewer that the student should be introduced to the Nemst equation by writing the logarithmic term of that equation as an expression for the equilibrium constant for the reaction concerned. The authors, in common with many other authors of textbooks on quantitative analysis, write half-cell reactions as reductions, e. g.,
Fe+++
+ e = Fe++
and then write the Nernst equation (p. 324fas
E
=
k!?!
E" + O.0591 log volts n L red 1
While this expression is mathematically correct, it would be preferable to write the logarithmic term a 9
--0.0591
.
n
[redl
to brittle behavior is given only two sentences. As a result, the authors are forced into various vague and repetitive statements as to the need for ductility in steel, and seem unable to justify temoerine .. itself. 11 is i~rtrrwingthat .\Ie.wr. Crafts and Lamont have beer) able, irr nl.trty iurtnnree, to p w r n t altrnta~ive.ic:llrmr.q for edrrying through n v r p in tl.cs~.lrcrionof atrd, without n:tvrifirr of thr simplicity which characterizes the book. Many of these schemes are based upon the authors' own investigations. "Hardenability and Steel Selection" might be used to advantage in s. senior Course in ferrous physical metallurgy designed for the training of men for work in industry. I t is less suitable for a graduate school text, as in aiming at utility ant1 simplicity the mthors have found it desirable to limit discussion of the underlying theory, and to omit consideration of the questions that remain to be settled by further research.
.
10x1
LEONARD D. JAFFE
in order to emphasize the significance of the term, especially when (p. 325) the right-hand part of the term is called "the equilibrium constant expression for the reaction." Furthermore, it should be indicated that the numerical part of the term, 0.0591, is temperaturedependent and is a simple expression involving temperature, two physical constants familar to the students, and a conversion factor from natural to decimal logs. Physically, the book is attractive, being well printed on good paper and well bound. However, the book is, unfortunately, printed in small t,ype with the further serious defect of having the actual laboratory procedures printed in yet smaller type. Since laboratory procedures artre usually read at distances exceeding that of normal vision, they should be printed in moderately large type. Furthermore, the rather common error is made of using long solid paragraphs for the procedures; such blocks of type are a definite hmdioap to the student in the laboratory. The appendixes include 16 pages on the arithmetic and algebra useful in quantitative analysis cdoulations, four pages on standardizing weights, five psges on st,atistical treatment of data, and fourteen psges on tables of equilibrium constants, prepam tion of indicator solutions, etc. There is no table of logar~thms. The two pages of the inside rear cover are devoted to a reproduction of the interesting and useful Eastman Kodak chart of the pH intervals of color change far neutralization indicators. The book would adequately provide the lecture and laborar tory basis for either a one-semester or two-semester course in quantitative chemical analysis. PHILIP . I . ELVING Tnz PEXN~YWANIA STATEC O ~ E U E STATE COGIE(I%, PENNBTGYANIA
HARDENABILITY AND STEEL SELECTION
Walter Crofts, Chief Metallurgist, andJohn L. Lomont, Research Metallurgist, Union Carbide and Carbon Research Laboratories, Inc. Pitman Publishing Corp., New York and London, 1949. xiii 279 pp. 148 figs. 55 tables. 15 X 23 em. $5.50.
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Tars book, according to the authors, wasprepared to eonsolidete and summarize into a coordmated pattern the theories and calculations of hardenability of steel. The term "hardenability" is employed in a broader sense than is usual, and the book devotes chapters to such topics as formation and transformation of austenite, quenching of steel, tempering after hardening, and mechanical properties of steel. I t constitutes, in fact, ttn attempt to present to the practical metdlurgist the developments of the last fifteen years as they concern the selection of steel to be heat treated and the hezt treatment itself. The presentation is, on the whole, most readable and straightforward. Little that would be of practical use to the metallurgist concerned with heabtreated steel is lacking, with one major exception. This concerns the treatment of mechanical properties, whioh is not up to the standard of the rest of the book. For example, the vital concept of temperature of transition from tough
W ~ m i w o wA ~n s s a * ~ WATEETOWN. M.ua*oansm
SCIENCE AND CIVILIZATION
Robert C. Stouffer, Editor. University of Wisconsin Press, Madison, Wisconsin, 1949. xiii f 212 pp. 13 X 21 cm. $2.50. SPECIALIZED scientific research needs interpretation, not only of its technical aspects but also of its general implioations. .4s a part of the celebration of the hundredth anniversary of the founding of the University of Wisconsin, the History of Science group a t the university, under the chairmanship of the editor of thii volume, invited a number of scholars to take part in a symposium on the relztions between science and civilization. This hook is a collection of tho contributions of the principal speakers. Its nature can best be explained by listing the titles and authors of the eight essays it contains: (1) Aristotle and the Origins of Science in the West, Riohard P. McKeon, Professor of Philosophy, University of Chicago; (2) Some Unfamiliar Aspects of Medieval Science, Lynn Thorndike, Professor of History, Columbia University; (3) The Definition of Scientific Method, Max Blaek, Professor of Philosophy, Cornell University; (4) The Meaning of Reduotion in the Natural Sciences, Ernest Nagel, Professor of Philosophy, Columbia University; (5) Physics as a Cultural Force, Philip E. Le Corbeiller, Lecturer on Applied Physios, Harvard University; (6) Science as a Social Influenoe, Farrington Daniels, Professor of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin; (7) Metaphors of Human Biology, Owsei Temkin, Professor of the History of Medicine, The Johns Hopkins University; (8) Science and Society, William F. O~burn,Professor of Socioloev. -. University of chicago. These eight essays deal with a variety of topics, ranging from the nature of Aristotle's contributions to science to whether an ostrieh can swallow live coals, from the place of physics in the common culture of mankind to the techniques and cautions required in the application of science to the social field. The common thread, which binds them all together is an attempt to Snswer the question, "What hhas been, or could be, the influence of science on our present civiliaation"? To answer this question one must first understand the terms to he used and some of the essays are concerned with clarifying the meaning of the wards and phrases necessary to the discussion. In the nature of things success is not complete. "For sheer complexity of texture and incident, science is like life itself and as little to be reduced to formula" (page 79). Assuming, however, that one knows what he means by "the scientific method" the next step is to apply the method to the problem of civilization. We have an arcumulation of knowledge ahout society, and have clsssified this knowledge to a certain extent. But when we attempt to make generali~ations,we fLnd that there are so many variables that our generali~ationsare never universally applicable. We recogni~e some of the variables and would like to conduct experiments in which is sought the effeot of one variable on another, but find that the remaining variables cannot be held constant. For
AUGUST, 1950 these reasons we can apply our generalizations only to a few limited and highly specific situations. In spite of these difficulties, the development of a science of society remains one of the most important tasks of educated man and because of the difficulties it is R most challenging one. WALTER B. KEIGHTON Sw*nr~uosn Co~rnoc SW*~T"MOBE. PENNBIL"*NI*
0
THE CHEMISTRY OF ORGANIC MEDICINAL PRODUCTS
Glenn L. Jenkins, Professor of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Dean of the School of Pharmacy, Purdue University, and Walter H.Hartung, Professor of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of North Camlina. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 1949. Third edition. ix 745 pp. 75 tables. 15.2 X 23.5 om. 57.50.
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THE first edition of this book (1941) was planographed and contained 457 pages divided into 15 chapters. It has now grown to 745 pagesand 16 chapters. The preface states that thevolume "has been written ss a textbook for students who have had basic courses in ohemistry and are interested in the chemistry of medicI t is intended primarily for inal and related products." students in the more advanced courses in pharmaceutical, them;e d , biological, and medicinal science. It should prove of value and interest d m to practitioners in these fields." The following topics are doslt with: Hydrocarbons (40 pp.), Halogenated hydrocarbons (20 ~ p . )Hydroxyl , derivatives of hydrocarbons (60 pp.), Ethers and ether peroxides (13 pp.), Carbony1 group (70 pp.), Carboxyl group (70 pp.), Natural mixtures (31 pp.), Amines and amine derivatives (129 pp.), Cyanides and nitro compounds (11 pp.), Sulfur compounds (33 pp.), Compounds of phospho-, arsenic, and antimony (18 pp.), Metallic derivatives of organic compounds (15 pp.), Heterocycles containing one heteroatom (86 pp.), Heterocycles containing two or more hetematoms (38 pp.), Stereoisomerism (46 pp.), Some physicochemical properties of medicinal products (15 pp.). There is a. general bibliography (9 pp.), and an extensive index (41 pp.). On the whole, the authors have done a good job in assembling data which are scattered throughout the chcmioal, pharmsceutical, and medical literature. This is obviously of value to warkem in these fields. Numerous references and a general bibliography invite to further study of specific topics. I t is inevitable that opinions will vary as to the amount of space alloted to individual sections. This reviewer, for example, feels that the description of hydrocarbons is much too long, considering the minor role of these compounds in medicine. On the other hand, the chapter on enzymes is too short for comfort. Trypsin, for ex6mple, is taken care of by the following sentence (p. 302): "Tryp sin is a partly purified proteolytic enzyme from the pancreas which digests 100 parts of casein." The vagueness of this s t a t e meut is 1101 ituiquv. 'I%cwH W ( ~ t h r~, i r n i l ~ wu r 1 t ~ u 1 e ~ . On 1). 391: "Aoc,ut 0.2 K. ofglgcinr hvdnd~lori~lc~ is cquivnlwr r o more I 1 I oi i t h I l . iI . It is owril,lt~that s student of i;harmacy has definite quantitative ideasas to the eoncentretion af "diluted hydrochloric acid," and visualizes a definite quantity when told of "about 0.2 g." or "more than lOdrops," hut statements of that type will not stimulate a quantitative nttitude in the average student. The references, as stated before, are valuable for further study. A more careful proofreading, however, would be desirable. In order to make this hook even more valuable to student and prttctitiouer dike it would be highly desirable to have the next edzlzon thoroughly edited. One cannot escape the impression that this book is not quite out of the filing card collection stage. Some careful overhauling could go far toward making it an outstanding textbook.
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AN ADVANCED TREATISE ON PAISICAL CHEMISTRY, VOL. I
I. R. Partington, Professor of Chemistry, University of London, England. Longmans, Green, and Co., New York, 1949. dii 943 pp. Illustrated with tables and figures. 16 X 26 cm. $16.
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THISvolumeis the f i s t of a three- or four-volume treatise which aims to present in a comprehensive manner the bulk of knowledge which has come to be known as physical chemistry. The first 419 pages introduce the reader to the fundamental theories and laws and is divided into the following sections: Mathematical Introduction, pages 1-114, .Thermodynsmics, ptqes 115-233, The Kinetic Theory of Gases, pages 234-292, Statistics1 Mechanics and Quantum Theory, pages 293-376, and Wave Mechanics, pages377-419. The remainder of this volume is devoted to Thermometry, High and Low Temperature Measurement, pages 420-545, and finally, a comprehensive presentation of the Properties of Gases, pages 546-934. The two most valuable characteristics of this work are its historical perspective and its close adherence to experimental results. Although the historical introductions to each section are brief they are accompanied by voluminous bibliographies which should be of considerable value in helping the careful scholar in obtaining an accurate knowledge of the evolution of the subject. More important in determining the character of the work is Dr. Partington's keen interest in methods of measurement and the results of experiments. This point of view is evidenced by the fact that only 419 pages are devoted to the threesciencesunderlying modern physical chemistry-thermodynamics, statistical mechanics, and quantum theory--and 500 pages are devoted to the properties of gases. The mathematical theorist could indeed be critical of the treatment of these three fundamental subjects, but to criticize something as inadequate which the author himelf regards as asummery or sketch would be unfair. The strength of this first volume resides in the detail description of the methods of measurement, the tabulation of results, and the completeness of the bibliography (over 18,000references). Pressure-volume-temperature relationships, densities and molar weights, viscosities, specific heats, diffusion of gases are treated in great detail, and the most aeourate data compiled in tabular form. This alone is avaluahle contribution to the science. If in the future.volumes Dr. Partington maintains t'le same thoroughness as he has achieved in this one the whole work will prove of great value to advanced students and teachers of physical chemistry. We look forward to the completion of this monnmental task. I t will he very interesting to fmd out haw Dr. Partington will treat the more intricate parts of the field. HERBERT S. HARNED Y*LE UNIVERBITT N E W H*YEN, CONNECTICUT
0
THERMODYNAMICS OF DILUTE AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS
M. I. N. Pourbaix, Doctor in de Technische Wetenschap, Delft, University of Brussels, Belgium. Translated by J. N. Agar. Edward Arnold & Co., London, England, 1949. (U. S. distributors: Longmans, Green and Co., Inc.) xv 136 pp. 27 figs. 15.5 X 23 cm. $5.50.
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T m s hook is a translation of a doctoral thesis presented by the author at the Delft Institute of Technology, The Netherlands, in 1945. The thesis was published in French by Meinema at Delft and a second printing was published by B h n g e r at Paris. The English translation by Dr. J. N. Agar fallows the second French printing very olosely. There are marked improvements of presentation, the main one being the inclusion of the figures in the body of the text in place of the separate brochure of the French original (with the loss, however, of the graded shading of some of the figures indicating gradual solubility increases). Pourbaix's fundamental idea. of constructing potential-pH
