something about chemistry and its achievements. This book is worthy of consideration for such student8 and courses where the "primary purpose is to impress them with the importmoe of chemintry to their health and daily living." F. D. MARTIN P u n o u ~U~rvrnsrrr W. LAVAYETTE, INDIAN*
MOLECULAR STRUCTURE AND ORGANOLEPTIC QUALITY S. C. I. Monograph No. 1. Symposium organized by the Overseas Section, Geneva, May, 1957. The Macmillan 124 pp. Co., New York. 1958. iii 14 X 22 om. $3.75.
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T ~ r sdim volume reports the contributions of same leading workers in olfaction to the semch for the ehlsive correlations between structure and odor. A wealth of material is concisely presented, including some new data and concepts. There is more general agreement on most aspects of the subject than might be anticipated when sueh a complex topic is attacked from eight separate anglen. M. Stoll leads off with a brief synopsis of relationships such as that between odor and adsorptive hehavior, which lend him to conclude that odorous molecules, making intimate contact with receptors in the nose, may transfer energy by "Fermi resonance" without actual chemical reaction. H. Kdmus succinctly describes the location and structure of the taste buds, and the phenomenon of wide variations in taste thresholds of CNS compounds, the only reference to taste in the entire volume. He also summbrizes interesting work by von Frisoh demonstrating the acuity of odor discrimination by bees, and work of his awn showing similar powers in trained dogs. J. Sfiras and A. Demeilliers descrihe the structure and use of a simple piece of apparatus for measuring "odor intensity." The measurements depend on the human nose, as do all sueh measurements reported to date. The "intensity" or "odor yield" here recorded appears to be a ratio, that of the concentration of the odorant in air saturated a t 22" to the minimum perceptible concentration. Y.-R. Naves contributes a comprehensive, eritied, and mueh-needed review of the confusing data. on odors of stereoisomers. H e finds only minor ditrerences hetween optical antipodes, but greater ones b e h e e n cis-trans isomers, cyclanic stereoisomers, etc. He considers it likely that only part of an odorous molecule rcaehes the asmoceptars of the olfactory membrane, thc rest of the molecule being import,ant only as it promotes or retards suoh contact. He sees little similarity between olfaction and response to drugs or toxins. M. G. J. Beets reviews the leading theories of odor and finds a few points af
related compounds, or on the structures of oliactively related substances. He summarizes the available data, and gives a rather detailed treatment of the musk odor, scanning for this purpose the numbers of benzene, tetmlin, and indane musks synthesiaed in recent years, as well as the older nitro musks, and the macrocyclic and steroid musks. This chapter will be of immense value to future workers in olfaction. R. H. Wright discusses his theory that molecu1a.r vibration of less than 700 cm.? (15 microns) is instrumental in triggering olfactory sensations, either by promoting discharge of a metabolically excited molecule or by increasing the probability of excitation by a. metabolic process. H. W. Thompson critically reviews the "recent theories of smell which involve some highly imaginative views about molecular vibrations and the transfer of electromngnetie radiation." H e postulates that the odorant molecule and the olfactory pigment or organ are brought together 80 that the odorant can behave as a positive or negative catalyst, interrupting or triggering some metabolic, probably enzymic, process. He lists seven problems which must be tackled to unravel the mechanism of smell. L. Ruaieka summarizes the fundamentals of odor chemistry in the light of his own work of the oast 40 vears. which
means of ohemical ieaction with a. receptor molecule. He finds that tho facts of odor and structure fit well into the wider picture of the relationship between physiological properties and chemical structure. One of the few typographical errors noted is in the structural formula for compounds 118, 119, and 120 on page 84. The type is elear, the binding goad. Taken as a whok, this book can serve as a condensed but penetrating introduction to the fascinating structure-odor enigma. It is a must for those who are generally interested in odor prohlems, but who have not the time to follow all the pertinent periodicals. PAUL G. I. LlUFFER HABT~NQB-ON-HUDSON NEW YORY
FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS OF INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
Esrnarch S. Gilreath, Professor of C h e m istry, Washington and Lee University. MeGmw-Hill Book Ca., Inc., New York, 421 pp. 80 figs. 71 1958. vii tables. 16 X 23.5 cm. $7.50.
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T m s book is designed for use as a text for s one semester course in advanced inorganic chemistry for undergraduates. I t deals in an introductory way with a neoessarily limited group of principles of pmticular interest to inorganic chemistry, includine onlv " enoueh descriotive material for illustration of principles where necessary. The discussions are generally nonmathematical and arc initiated st 8, level easily within the grasp of a student
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having only a background of generd chemistry; physical chemistry is not a. necessary prerequisite. About one-third of the book is devoted to problems of the atomic nucleus. T h i s emphasis suggests it may best be suited for use in departments which do not have a soparate course (and text) on nuclear o r radiochemistry. A rather complete summary of events leading to the discovery and naming of the recently discovered "synthetic" elements is included. Chapter 2 is devoted t o atomic structure, a limited introduction t,o quantum theory and atomic spectra, the Bohr theory and t h e conventional assignment of electrons in quantum levels. A brief mention of some principles of wave mechanics is given. Chapter 3 deals with the classifiration of the elements into periodic tables with appreciable d i s m ~ ~ i aof n material now primarily of historical interest. T h e chapter concludes with a discussion of periodic properties. Chapter 4 is entitled "Forem Between Atoms." Principles of ionic and covalent banding arc presented with an introductory treatment of topics such as ionization energies and electron afinity, ionic crystal lattice energies, t,he Born-Haber cycle, ionic radii and crystal ~ t n n t u r e s ,directed covalent bonds, the molecular orbital approitrh, ,z brief summary of Pauling's eleetro-negativity scale, problems of the metallic hond, and van der Waals forces. Chapter 5 is devoted to complex ions and coordination compounds in general, including magnetic properties, stabilities, ehelates, and isomerisms. The level of these discussions is designed for undergraduate students. Chapter 6 presents general princil~les concerning solubility, acid-base systems and acid strength, redox reactions, onidation ~ o t e n t i a l sand their application. Some of this material is quite elementary; for example the assignment of oxidation numbcrs and their use in balancing oxidation-reduction equations are reviewed. Chapter 7 gives a survey of chemistry in non-aqucous systems, including liquid ammonia, hydrogen fluoride, sulfur dioxide, hydro&encyanide, and acetic acid. The reader will note a. general similarity of topics covered to Part I (Principles) of T. Moeller's "Inorganic Chemistry.:' The book is well written, lucid, and includes a generous number of exercises and references to related works a t the end of each chapter, N. W. GREGORY U m v ~ n s m ro r W M H I N ~ T O N SEATTLE, WABHIN~TON
RADIOISOTOPES-A INDUSTRY
NEW TOOL FOR
Sidney Jefferson, Leader of the Technological Irradiation Group, Isotope Division, Harwell. Philosophical Lihrary, Inc., New York, 1958. 106 pp. 44 figs. 13 X 1 9 cm. $4.75. THE most obvious feature of this little book (only 106 4'/* in. X 71/rin. text pages) i~ the insultingly high price. It is a wdl written and illustrated primer for (Continued on page A408) JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL EDUCATION
