Nikpee's son, Isidore, were granted a lifelong income, the history of the daguerreotype process, the agreement with the NiCpces, father and son, the accurate description of the process, the explanation of the illustrations, and a short description of the diorama, which Daguerre had invented in 1822. This publication was promptly followed by a t least twentyone other editions in French, German, English. Spanish, Swedish, Hungarian, Italian, and Polish, all of which appeared in 1839 or 1840 under various titles, with omissions or addenda. Lerehours and the Susse brothers, for example, suggested in their edition (Paris, 1839) that the person whose portrait was being made ought t o be seated in bright sunlight behind a large pane of blue glass "to avoid fatigue and the blinking of theeyes. . ."and added that this would not necessitate a longer exposure. The first American edition was entitled. "Description of the Daguerreotype Process or a Summary of M. Gouraud's Public Lectures according to the principles of M. Daguerre, with a description of a provisory method far taking Human Portraits," Dutton and Wentworth's Print. Boston. 1840, 16 pp. Professor Stenger's rare brochure has beautiful typopraphy. an artistic format. and clear re~rodnctionsof the title Dams . . of many of the early Daguerre writings MARYELVIRAWEEKS Uwvaaslru 0s K*NS*S LIWRENCB,KANSAS
ENZYMECHBMISTRY. Henry Taubcr, Consulting Chemist. formerly Instructor, New York Medical College and Flower Hospital. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York City, 1937. xii 243 pp. 28 figs. 17 tables. 14 X 23 cm. S . 0 0 .
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The aim of the author has been to prepare a summary of recent progress in the study of enzymes. Especially valuable features of the book are: (a) a well-selected bibliography of the literature since 1930, cited in the discussions of each chapter. (b) brief statements of earlier views, followed by summaries of recent experimental findings and views, and (c) a well-organized Table of Contents, from which one can readily find specific material in the text. The manuscript has been carefully prepared from an earlier temporary edition, so that typographical errors are relatively scarce. The discussion of theories pertaining to enzyme kinetics has been kept extremely brief. In the reviewer's opinion, additional material on enzyme kinetics and a more thorough development of historical hackeround would add to the value of the hook. Since these two points are well covered in earlier bwks, however, the present volume, with a good summary of recent work, will prove very useful. U I I V E R S I T Y On PITTSBUREW
PITTEBIIRDA,
PRNNSYLYAPIA
PROCTOR'S LEATHERCHEMISTS'POCKBT-BOOK.W . R. Alkin, M.Sc..and F. C. Thompson. M.Sc. Third edition. E. and F. S. Sporr.Ltd., of London and the Chemical Publishing Co., New York City. 1937. nii 386 pp. 29 figs. 12 X 18.5 cm. $6 UO.
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This hook was primarily written as an aid to the chemist assariated with control and analytical work of the leather industry. The b w k , as a whole, is excellent, since it covers almost the newest analytical methods now used by the leather chemist. The first third of the hook, or first five chapters, is devoted to a discussion of the ionization of acids, bases, and salts, a thorough discussion of hydrogen-ion concentration and the latest methods of obtaining pH values. Qualitative and quantitative procedures are given for the evaluation of vegetable tanning materials. The chapter dealing with the qualitative detection is especially valuable. These chapters are well worth reading by those interested in vegetable tannin analysis. One r h a ~ t e ris devoted to the analvsis of veretable-tanned leather. another to the analysis of mineral-tanned leather. These chapters are well written and give the latest methods of analysis. Four chapters are devoted t o oils, fats, waxes, soaps, egg yolk, and sulfonated oils. The work given on sulfonated oils would have
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been much improved by giving the latest methods of their evaluation. This chapter is rather incomplete. The reviewer believes that more quantitative methods should have been given-such work including the methods devised by Schindler and the Textile Association methods. A single chapter is devoted to the physical testing of leather. The reviewer feels that insufficient space has been given to this important phase of the wrjrk and should have been expanded in a handbook of this character. The remainder of the book covers the analysis and evaluation of finishes, the use of the microscope and its use in bacteriology. The b w k is one which should he in the library of any individual interested in the analysis of leather and those chemicals which go into the fabrication of leather. I t s educational value lies in the fact that it is an excellent treatise on the analytical procedure used in the leather industry and should be brought to the attention of students in organic quantitative analysis. EDWINR. THEIS LBRXCU UNIYBXSITY BBTRLBHEY. P&NNSYLV*NI*
THE COSMETICFORMULARY. H. Bennett, F.A.I.C., Chemical Publishing Company of New York, Inc. New York City. 1937. xis 259 pp. 15 X 23 cm. 8 . 7 5 .
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Patterned an the style of THE CHEMICAL FORMULARY, by the same editor, this work was published almost simultaneously with MORE FOR YOURMONEY,by the same Mr. Bennett, recently reviewed in THIS JOURNAL (VoI. 14, NO. 4, pp. 19&9). The text comprises recipes for every type of cosmetic product used on skin and hair; also dentifrices, perfumes, and miscellaneous related semi-medical preparations. I t also gives several useful tables of equivalents, common names of chemical compounds, lists of manufacturers of raw materials and eqnipment, reference hooks, etc. The declared purpose of the hook is to further the education of teachers, students, and the public on cosmetic preparations and treatments, and the recipes are alleged to serve only as starting points for the development of good products. There is a sketchy synoptic section on manufacturing technic, which a teacher, trained to use his hands, should he able to follow with fair success. The experimenter is warned not to deviate a n iota from the directions given, or to substitute other ingredients for those prescribed. Basically good advice, this; hut one may readily question the educational value of so many hundreds of recipes based on proprietary raw materials, when no clue is given as to the chemical nature 01 those listed. To this reviewer, a t least, all such "advertising formulas" are just as exasperating as a problem in algebra with three or four unknown quantities. As the movement for education on cosmetiks spreads in our schools, and as more research on problems related to cosmetics is undertaken by private and public agencies, there will always be room for good handhookson the composition and compounding of the products used in this vast industry. Such publications. however, should he edited with skill and restraint, and in the best interest of both educators and prospective manufacturers, recipes should be well tested both "an the shelf" and clinically. The author's intention here was gwd, but, regrettably, THE COSMETICFORMULARY adds little to the trade literature on cosmetics. FLORENCE E. WALL 685 M ~ o r s oAvmas ~ NEW Yoav Clrr
ORGANICCnsMrsmY ROR MEDICALSTUDENTS.George Berger, Professor of Chemistry in Relation to Medicine in the University of Edinburgh. Second edition. Gurney and Jackson. London and Edinburgh, 1936. xi 251 pp. 15 figs. 15 X 23 cm. 10/6 net.
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Occasion+lly authors have the temerity t o write texthooks in the fundamental sciences for preprofessional groups. Such a venture is always open to the tendency to give t w much application and too little that is fundamental. Certainly a textbook
