Recent Books Quantitative Pharmaceutical Chemistty. GLENNL. JENKINS,Ph.D., and ANDREW G. DUMEZ, Ph.D., professors in the School of Pharmacy. University of Maryland. McGraw-Hill Book Co., Inc.. New York City, 1931. xxiii 408 pp. 14.5 X 21.5 cm. 68 Figs. W.50.
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Wile conditions governing the practice of pharmacy in the United States have resulted in its commercializatian to a very large extent, the pharmacist's work is based upon a considerable xientific foundation. There was a time when pharmacists were almost the only working chemists and they contributed a great deal t o the development of chemistry in the formative period of that development, before 1850. These facts are exemplified in the nature and content of the book under review. Not all pharmacists practice a m lytical chemistry t o the extent covered by this book, but a thorough study of the subject is a part of their training and a considerable number of pharmacists approach the practice of analytical chemistry through pharmacy. Some idea of the pharmaceutical applications of quantitative analysis can be obtained from a brief outline of the contents of the hook. After a statement of the scope of the subject, the book is divided into four parts. Under general chemical methods used in quantitative analysis of chemicals and drugs official in the United States Pharmacopeis and the National Formulary, we find general directions for analytical work, a few exercises on gravimetric methods; a thorough treatment of volumetric methods, including general principles of volumetric analysis, alkalimetry, acidimetry, precipitation, oaidation-reduction methods; gasometric methods and electrolytic methods. Under physical methods 'for the quantitative analysis of official chemicals and drugs, we find methods for the determination of solu-
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bility, specific gravity, melting, congealing and boiling points, refractive index, index of rotation, and viscosity. Under special methods nsed in quantitative analysis of official chemicals and drugs, we find methods for the determination of ash. moisture, extractive matter, constants of fats and oils, constituents of volatile oils, and enzymes, and several chapters on alkaloidal assay work. I n the 6nal see tion on special non-official methods, we find chapters on hydrogen-ion mncentration, photometric methods, and ultimate analysis. Like many books which cover both the theory and practice of a laboratory subject, this treatise combines laboratory manual, textbook and reference book between its covers and not all colleges of pharmacy would he able to allow in their crowded curricula the time necessary to cover the whole hook. The writer of this review is keenly aware of the need of a good book on this subject and a careful examination of this book convinces us that Messrs. Jenkins and DuMez have gone far t o satisfy this need. T. BRADLEY THEODORE
The Quantum Theory. Fnmz REICHE. Principal of Physics a t the University of Breslau. Translated by H. S. HnrFIELD, B.Sc.. Ph.D.. AND HENRYL. BROSE. M.A. Second edition. E. P. Dutton and Company. Inc., New York 218 pp. 15 Figs. City, 1930. viii 12 X 18.5 cm. $2.10. At the time of the appearance of its first edition this little hook was one of the clearest and most useful guides available for those who were making their 6rst acquaintance with the quantum theory. The second edition which now appears - after a lapse of nine years is essentially the older book with a few changes and an additional chapter which discusses briefly the
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revolutionary developments which have taken place in theoretical physics during this period of time. There is still a great deal to be said for the historical approach to the quantum theory. The aspect of quantum mechanics changes so rapidly, almost daily, that those outside the field of action may well hesitate before making the effort necessary to understand the very recent developments. For those who wish to approach the problems of theoretical physics from the older point of view this book may be very useful. It presents the experimental evidence and the points of contact with the older theory which certainly are very important for a clear understanding of our modern theories, and which perhaps have received less emphasis than they should in some of the other recent books on the subject. H. ANDREWS DONALD THBJOANS HOPXINS UNIVBRS~TY BALTISORB. MAR~AND
Modem Textbook in Chemistry. J. ELLIS STANNARD, Instructor in Chemistry, Boys' High School, Brooklyn, N. Y. Academic Book Company. New York 376 pp. 114 Figs. City, 1930. viii 13 X 19 cm. $1.32. I n his desire to avoid the Scylla of "cyclopedic treatment" which he believes to be confusing and discouraging to the young student, the author has fallen into Charybdis. He has written a chemical catechism which may meet fully the requirements "of the New York State Board of Regents, the College Entrance Examination Board, and the American Chemical Society" but it will please few chemistry teachers except the Gradgrinds, with their devotion t o "Facts, Sir, nothing but Factsl" To lop off every item of interest outside the bare bones of a subject will not tend to make i t palatable to the student, however admirable it may be in preparing for a Regents or College Entrance Examination. Not all chemistry teachers will kiss the clay feet of this pair of Collassi. And as sixty per cent of chemistry students probably do not
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1931
go to college, perhaps they would enjoy some of the detail which the author omits. If the illustrations "are used to teach chemistry, not merely to show machinery" we wonder that the picture of Dr. MUikan (Figure 21) is shown with the elaborate and unexplained glassware. But for the assurance of the title, the illustration of Open Pit Iron Ore Mining (Figure 93) might as well be that of Meteor CaEon. A flow sheet diagram would he an improvement aver the titled bottles which are given several places. Incidentally, Michael Faraday is still washing glassware for Sir Humphry Davy. [See J. CHEW.EDUC..7, 859 (Apr., 1930).1 If the author had sought the golden mean between his own text and the extra long texts of which he complains, if he had included a list of supplementary reading, if he had been willing to have cracked a joke once in a while, his text would have been far more human, far nearer to the present objectives of chemical education. This text will be quite useful to the a a m m e r s t o those who, in chemistry, as in other subjects, expect a docile repeating back of statements and opinions. But as a force in civilization, a way of livelihood for thousands of men, i t fails to present live, every-day chemistry to the student. R. E. BOWMAN WTLM~NOTON TRAD& SCHOOL Wn.WWCTON, DBL*W*RB
The Carbon Comvounds. C. W. PORTER, Professor of chemistry, University of Southern California. Second revised edition. Ginn and Co., Boston. Mass., 1931. ix +469 pp. 15 X 23cm. $4.00. The revised edition of Porter's wellknown text adheres very closely to the plan of the first edition, and the changes in form are of minor importance. The introduction has been much abbreviated and the seventeen pages of the first edition's introduction shortened to seven by the omission of a considerable amount of material dealmg with the electron theory. Much new material has been incorporated in the work to bring i t abreast of the
