Some readers will be disappointed in the treatment of the cracking pracesses. The subject matter given is considerably out-of-date. Mare material could have been presented an synthetic resins, varnishes, and enamels, which subjects are of more interest today than lacquers. The chapter on patents, chemical engineering equipment, and materials used in the industry might be eliminated without seriously detracting from the value of the book. Such subjects do not necessarily come under the head of industrial chemistry. No two instructors of industrial chemistry will ever completely agree upon the material that should be presented or the method of presentation. I t can, nevertheless, be said, without fear of contradiction, that Dr. Riegel's ideas on the subject are held by the majority. The author and the publishers should be congratulated on keeping this E r y complete treatise a t a price within reason. D. B. KEYES U N I Y B ~ S ~0s TY ILLINO~S URBAN*. 11.~1~018
A LABORATORY MANUAL oa GENERAL CHEMSTRY. James H. Wdton and Francis C. Krouskopf, Professors of Chemistry in the University of Wisconsin. The Collegiate Press, Menasha, Wisconsin, 1937. ix 317 pp. 15 X 23 cm. $2.00.
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This manual is designed to cover the 6rst semester of the standard college chemistry course. I n addition t o the laboratory directions and related material, there are lessons on such topics as valence (four pages), colloids (four pages), factors intluencing chemical change (three pages), and chemical arithmetic (fourteen pages). A short chapter on how t o study chemistry, a set of study outlines and several tables of data which are used in the course are also included. Of the two hundred sixty pages comprising the main portion of the bwk, two hundred thirteen are devoted t o the more or less standard types of experiments on the non-metals and theoretical chemistry, including organic chemistry and the colloidal state. The remainder contain a group of "Special Experiments,'' which can be assigned t o the better, or more interested, students. These deal with the hardness of water, determination of molecular weights, preparation and properties of alloys, degree of ionization, hvdroeen-ion concentration. electrachemistrv. of ,~.. liauefaction . sulfw dioxide, determination of availatde oxygen in hydrogen peroxide, mrasuremunt of the speed of a chemical reaction, oxidation and reduction, and romplrxionr. There arc no experiments on the chemistry of metals. The book has several distinctive features. Many of the experiments are accompanied by "Introductory Statements" which outline the principles involved and arouse the student's interest. Each experiment is followed by a list of questions, the answers to which the student is to write on the right-hand page, with his notes on the experiment. Tabular forms for the recording of data are furnished on most pages. There is a considerable number of new and ingenious experiments. The authors have produced a weU-written and highly teachable manual which deserves careful examination by college chemistry teachers. JOHN C. BAILAR, JR. U N I ' I B P S 0. ~ ILLINO*S Uga*N*, ILLLNOIS
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SCIENCE.A. W. Hasldt, sometime Foundation EVERYDAY Scholar of King's College, Cambridge. Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.. 305 xii pp. 14 X 20.5 cm. New York City, 1937. xiv
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$2.75.
Mr. Haslett, who has also mitten UNSOLVEDPROBLEHSoa S ~ N C Eis, the science correspondent of the London Morning Past. H e mites as a journalist for the layman, the book being "devoted t o science as i t effects our everyday life." One of his chief aims is t o give the reader some of the background necessary to the formation of intelligent opinion about the social problems
arising from the application of scientific discoveries. Another of his aims is to show that fundamental research "is the most paying form of investment." The chapter titles, The Builder's Problem. Science and Crime, Farmer versus Nature, the Problems of Waste, are indicative of the range of subject matter treated in the twelve chapters. One is almost tempted t o say that the choice of material has been conditioned by the amount of emphasis placed upon it in the daily press. The author has been quite successful in attaining both of the above-mentioned aims. He writes in a reserved style, and is conscious of bath the power as well as the limitations of science. He gives evidence of sound judgment, and makes reasonable evaluations of scientific problems. He is a t his best in reporting experiments and describing social and scientific developments; and at his poorest in making scientific explanations. Some inaccuracies betray Lack of scientific thoroughness. To take a specific example, the discussion of the second law of thermodynamics (page 245 seg.) is quite devious. The second formula for the efficiency of a perfect engine is wrong (page 248); there is unnecessary confusion about what temperature is cited, and it is not immediately evident bow the efficienciesa t various temperatures were obtained. Of course, i t is questionable whether any popular treatment of such subjects can be successful. From the point of view of science education, the book is not intended, and cannot serve, as a basis for intensive study. It may be used, however, for optional general reading in connection with orientation courses in the physical sciences or in social studies. I t will serve best mature readers, who are not primarily interested in science. TREoDonE A. A s ~ a o e o UNIYBRSITY 09 C ~ C A O O C m c ~ o o ILLINOIS .
TEXTBOOK OF INORGANIC CHEMISTRY. 3.R. Partington. M.B.E.. D.Sc., Professor of Chemistry in the University of London. Queen Mary College. Fifth Edition. The Macmillan Company. New York City, 1937. viii 1062 pp. 390 figs. 13 X 19.5 cm. $4.60.
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The 13th edition of this well-known textbwk appears four mars after its oredecessor. The author has made minor alteratians throughout the entire b m k and has awcecsfully incurparated a summary of the more important advances. 'rhese additions are made without material changes in the paging, by slight condensations and an occasional omission of material of minor importance. There are a few places in which more extensive changes are t o be noted. Three-quarters of a page has been added upon deuterium and heavy water; three and onehalf new pages upon the structure of silicates have been inserted; while smaller amounts of space are devoted to the revision and discussion of such topics as atomic structure, theory of indicators. thermochemistry, halogens, fixation of nitrogen, and the noble gases. These changes have been skillfully incorporated in the teat so that the fifth edition is a thoroughly modem textbook with the same table of contents as the fourth edition, while the indices of the two editions might be interchanged without difficulty. The illustrations are, in general, the same as those in the fourth edition, although a few of the L i e drawings have been remade, and halftones are clearer in the new book. The new edition retains the approved educational features of the former editions, such as chapter summaries, review questions, and answers t o problems. Some of the questions are new and their position a t the end of the book is undoubtedly popular with educators. The Partington textbooks have been known too long and tw favorably t o require comment here. The B t h edition is fully up t o the high standard which has been maintained in previous editions. It is an advanced inorganic textbook which is modem, complete, concise, accurate, and teachable. B. S. HoPKINS UNIVBBSITI 01 ILLINOIS U a a A N * . ILLrnOIS
