Physical Methods of Organic Chemistry. Parl2
Edited by Arnold Weissberger, Research Laboratories, Eastman Kodak Co., Rochester, New York. 3rd revised ed. Interscience Publishers, Inc., New York, 935 pp. Figs. and tables. 1959. xii 16 X 23.5 cm. $24.50.
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This volume continues the high level which we expect of the series. The Table of Contents is: XVI. Determination of Diffusivity, by A. L. Geddes and R. B. Pontius*; XVII. Determinations by the Ultracentrifuge, by J. Burton Nichols and the late Emerson D. Bailey; XVIII. Refractometry, by N. Bituer*, K. Fajans, and S. Z. Lewin; XIX. Determination of Crystal Morphology, by the late M. A. Peacock, J. D. H. Donnay*, and Gabridle Donnay*; XX. Crystallochemical Analysis, by J. D. H. Donnay* and G* bridle Donnay*; XXI. Light Microscopy by Edwin E. JeUey; XXII. Microspectrasoopy, by Elkan R. Blout; (N)XXIII. X-Ray Miorosoopy, by W. C. Nixon; XXIV. Eleotron Microscopy, by F. A. Hamm; XXV. X-Ray Crystallography, by William N. Lipscomb*; XXVI. Elmtron Diffraction by Gases, by L. 0 . Brockway; XXVII. Neutron Diffraction, by J. M. Hastings and L. M. Carliss. Chapter XXIII on X-Ray Microscopy is new as indicated by the (N) in the Table of Contents above. Each of those whose name is followed by an asterisk is also a new author in this edition compared to the previous edition. I t will be seen that the major part of this volume does not involve new authors or completely new material. I t seems safe to say that there is no other source book which as compactly and as authoritatively as this one presents the latest information in the fields whioh it covers.
As a fair example of Dockx's methods consider page 76. Here it is said that, ". . . only Gd, La, and Lu from among the rare earths have, for theoretical rather than experimental reasons, a 5d electron in their basic structure." Dockx goes on to say that this change from Bohr's early predictions is not surprising because, as Ymt says (Yost, Russell, and Garner, "The Rare-Earth Elements and their Compounds," pp. 2-3, Wiley, New York 19491, "the complexity of the rare earth spectra is so great that no definite prediction can be made in the absence of a fund* mental theary!' Now the exact quotation from Yost, Russell, and Garner is given in an English footnote and goes, ". . .that no definite prediction, based an a fundamental theory, can be made." Moreover, on the same page of Yost, Russell, and Garner is the statement that "The ground states of seven of the rare earths in the neutral state. .have been established with considerable certainty" and among these seven are La and Gd with 5d electrons. The certainty is not considerable enough to prevent the statement on p. 78 that, "These modificatians in the electronic structures of La and Gd [the elimination of the 5d electrons] which we propose here are not in opposition to the experimental data." More examples could be cited but it would all come to the same thing in the end-this book is not recommended.
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JR. RUSSELLF. TRIMBLE, Soulhen Illinois University Cmbmdale, Illinois
Chemistry for Engineers
Edwad Cartmell, University of Southampton, England. Butterworth and Co. (Canada) Ltd., Toronto, 1959. J. A. CAMPBELL 172 pp. Figs. and tables. 14.5 vii Haruey Mudd College X 22 cm. $5. Claremont, California Brevity is the word which describes this book "Chemistry for Engineers" by Edward Cartmell. As the author explains it is designed primarily to serve as an introduction of chemistry to engineers Theorie Fondamentale du System who in their course of training will not Periodique der Elements take chemistry. This is direct contrast to the average curriculum in the United Slanislas Doekz, LL'Institute InternaStates where s. thorough one year course tional des Sciences Theoriques. Office in chemistry is the minimum requirement. International de Librairie, Brussels, The text presentation emphasizes nuBelgium, 1959. 183 pp. 29 tables clear chemistry, atoms and molecules, 16 X 25 cm. Paperbound. $6.06. chemical fuels, metals, corrosion and This book is not recommended. The water treatment. In no case is the develfundamental theory turns out to be a opment in detail but the material is prefantasy based on an avoidance of facts sented so that it may be understood withand a misapprehension of wave mechanics. out a chemical background. The incluDockx begins by rearranging the perision of the section on atoms and moleodic system to get a more symmetrical cules previous to that on nuclear chemistry structure from which the regular mathewould help the reader. matical basis underlying the system can This book is not recommended except be abstracted. His new table is a IIIC3-4 as an introduction to chemistry for engitype (Mazur's classification). In this neers and as an example of what the process certain theorems me derived which British consider important to the engigive the order in which the various sub- . neer. It should not be used as a text far shells must be filled. When irregularities students in chemistry or engineering. occur in the order of filling (as at Cr, Cu, La, and Gd, for example) the accepted GEORGEM. MACHWART ground states are said to be "experiMichigan College of Mining and Technology mentally arbitrary and theoretically inHoughtm, Michigan exact" and the irregularities areeliminated.
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222
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Journal of Chemical Education
The Harvey Lectures. Series 54
Delivered under the auspices of the Harvey Society of New York, 195% 1959. Academic Press, Inc., New York, 312 pp. Figs. and tables. 1960. vi 14 X 21 cm. $7.50.
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The HaNey Society, organized during the spring of 1905, sponsored its first public lecture at the New York Academy of Medicine on October 7, 1905, and presented its first bound set of lectures to the public in 1906. It was of interest to the reviewer of this particular number in this famed series of publications to explore the gods of the society as stated a t its inception to see whether or not the lectures of the present era still measured up to early norms. I have picked statements at random as they appear in the first collection of The HsNey Lectures (19051906) to set forth the newly founded society's goals: -"Its avowed abject ia the diffusion of the medical sciences by means of puhlic lectures.-The lectures are not intended to be merely accounta of experimental work done by thelecturers. They are rather to be s. broad present* tion-(which) includes a resume of the experimentd work done an the subject, and a critical review of this work in the light of the most recent advances." As organized and initiated by Professor Graham Lusk, the society's first president, these were the hopes to be attained. More than half a century has passed since then and this reviewer, for one, must enthusiastically compliment the Harvey Society for so gallantly achieving its stated purpose. The present oollection of nine lectures is no exception; distinguished investigators in their respective fields have again compiled pertinent experimental data and critically surveyed the general subject. The lectures included in this number of the series are Genetic Control of Viral Functions by Francois Jacob, Metamorphosis and Body Farm by V. B. Wigglesworth, Methods of Approach to the Problems of Behavior by K. Lorene, The Excretory Function of the Liver by S. E. Bradley, and Excitation and Inhibition in Single Nerve Cells by S. W. Kuffler. The other four lectures are more speeifi d l y in the biochemical area, including The Enzymatic Synthesis of the Purine Nucleotides by J. M. Buchanan, Metabolic Studies with Normal and Malignant Human Cells in Culture by H. Eagle, Carotenoid Pigments: Problems of Synthesis and Function by R. Stanier, and finally Historic and Current Aspects of the Problem of Protein Synthesis by P. C. Zamecnik. This, as usual, is another compxt volume convenient to carry most anywhere. It is pleasant yet stimulating reading. For the investigator and teacher, it is educational in less familiar fields and integrating in meas of personal iuterest. For the student. it ir a most valukblc iourrr for nupldt rnrntsl r w d i n ~ . This Imok i i I1emily reconi~nenderllo all. ~~
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EUGENEE. DEKKER The University of Michigan Ann A~bor,Michigan '(Continued on page A2681
