purpose of study and review, a series of selected questions and problems. The authors express the hope that this book may appeal to the home economics student not because its subject matter is unusual, hut because they have made an attempt throughout the text t o present suggestions that may help the student sense the relationship which exists between chemistry and home economics. I n this respect, the book seems to serve its purpose. I t has been written with a special appeal to a definite group of students. Because of the ambitious attempt of the authors t o cover so many fields, it cannot be claimed for the book that it is suitable for the student who plans to make an intensive study of chemistry. For him, it becomes an introduction t o this science; a taste, as i t were, which may or may not prompt a continuation of it. On the other hand. the inauirinz mind of the freshman home economics student as t o what chemistry is all about will probably be satisfied by a study of this text.
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working in this very specialized field, there is, in general, a sense of lack of discussion of tendencies in investigations and conclusions to he drawn from them. This situation is perhaps accentuated by the recognized difficulty in classifying a large mass of material of such wide scope. Despite the above limitations, the reader cannot fail to be impressed by the diversity and significance of relationships between radiant energy and the function and structure of living organisms as shown in this volume. This is a field of interest which well merits attention from the standpoint of chemical education. ARTHUR H. SMITH YA'B
UNIYBRS~TY
Nsw HAVBN,corrw.
CHBMISTRY.Willhm Thornfon Read, Dean of the School of Chemistry, Rutgers University. John Wiley and Sons. Inc.. New York City, 1933. vii 576 pp. 130 Figs. 15 X 23 cm. $5.00, plus postage.
INDUSTRIAL
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Stoll, Basel. Verlag vou Julius Springer, Berlin, Gumany, 1933. 41 pp. 14 X 21.5 cm. R M 3. An entertaining essay of historical interest reporting on important biochemical activities carried out during the scientific career of Dr. Stoll. The book is dedicated t o his old teacher, Professor Richard WillstStter, and the subject matter is practically restricted t o a lecture presentation of biochemical advances in the field of chlorophyll, the h e a t alkaloids of the digitalis type, and alkaloids of ergot. The work is of no value as a hook of reference, no literature references are recorded, and it is simply a short essay which would be entertaining t o a layman who understands the German language.
PHYSIOLOGICXL EFFECTSoa RADIANTENERGY. Henry Lawens. Ph.D., Professor of Physiology in the Tulane University School of Medicine. The Chemical Catalog Co., Inc., New York City, 1933. viii 610 pp. 80 Tables; 104 Figs. 15 X 23 em. $6.
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The numose of this monoeraoh. . . .. . as the author states in the prrface, is to providr a source book of informalion on the subject. The newer interest in thc physioloaical rffectr and therapeutic value of radiant energy has attained a stage where such a contribution to the literature is very valuable. The author has encompassed a surprisingly wide range of pertinent data in his re. view. I n the early part of the book the physics of radiant energy is discussed and a considerable amount of critical attention given to the various available methods for measuring it. Emphasis is laid throughout the book on the importance of light of other wave-lengths than those in the ultra-violet known to be effective in treating rickets. This is especially apparent in the chapter on radiotherapy of wounds and diseases of the skin. There is an excellent discussion on the penetration into the skin of radiations of various wave-lengths, the significance of the ery. themia and pigmentation resulting therefrom and the accompanying histological changes. The many alleged influences of radian1 energy on blood and circulatory system are carefully evaluated in the light of recent studies, a number of which are contributions by the author himself. There are five chapters on radiation and metabolism; i t appears to the reviewer that undue attention is given t o mineral metabolism in rickets and the inttuence of vitamins and parathormone. Photodynamic action and the iduence of radiant energy on tuberculosis are well presented and there is a chapter on micra6rganisms and enzymes as a5ected bv radiant enerev. "* This monograph should prove useful as a source hook; individual contributions are summarized (in a few instances a t great length and in considerable detail) as t o fact hut t o one not ~
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For "students . . who would like t o know more about the applications of chemistry t o industry. teachers of chemistry in high school and college not sficiently familiar with chemical ,industries to give accurate information about essentials business men interested in a general survey," this book was written. Breaking away from precedent Dr. Read has skilfully avoided making this work a mere encyclopcedia of the industries from alkalies t o zinc, fist, by devoting ten chapters of the twentyseven to basic principles, testingmethods, and unit manufacturing processes and, second, by grouping and describing the most important types of related industries. leaving the introduction of minor processes and minutie in general t o the discretion of the instructor. For example. under the head of "Carbohydrate Industries" we find discussed the sugars, starch, cellulose and the cellulose textiles, pulp and paper, the cellulose esters, and wooddistillation products. A most happy innovation in the make-up of the book is the nearly complete substitution of linedrawings of apparatus and flow-sheets for the conventional boiler-plate cuts of many of the older books. These in the main were made especially for this work and are adequately described with explanatory legends. Doubtless the methods of teaching industrial chemistry in our colleges are less standardized than those in any of the other branches due in a measure t o the varied interests, experiences, and sources of information of the instructors. Most of us, doubtless, believe that i t should cover largely the modem history and the economic relationships of the chemical industries with emphasis on current events; and so the constant use of the technical iournals such as IndustrinZ and En~inineerinvChemistrv and ~ h e & a / and N e l a l l u r g i d ~ n g i n w i n ; (partiklarly I & annual survcy numbcr) is impcralivr. Hut all of us need a good sound hook of fundamcntalc to plare in the student's hand.;, if only t o serve as a point of reference, and the reviewer feels that Dr. Read has produced one that will gain wide acceptance. Particularly will the teacher of general chemistry, whether in high school or college, find in i t a source of authentic information on the chemical industries t o supplement the more abstract theory. Not the least of its virtues is a selling price in line with the demands of the times. H. L. OLIN THBST&=& UNIVBRSITY OF IOWA
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IOWACITY, IOWA
ANNUALSURVEY o*. AMERICAN CHEMISTRY, VOL. VII, 1932. Edited by Clarence I. West. Published far the National Research Council by The Chemical Catalog Ca., Inc., New York City, 1933. 346 pp. 13 X 21 cm. $4.00.
It has always been the policy of the Survey to review certain topics in rotation, in cycles of two or three years. I n the present volume that policy is somewhat extended, the number of chapters having been reduced from 37 (1931 volume) to 27.
