the reviewer was surprised to find but very few pages devoted to electro-deposition and nu references to the passage of electricity through solid salts or gases; critical potentials and positive rays are omitted. Even more surprising is the absence of any discussion of the very important investigations of the conductance of solutions by direct-current methods. The hook is addressed especially to "graduate students who have. . . had an elementan, course in ~hvsical chemistrv." I- t will . -~~ be of value also to chemists of more maturity who are not thoroughly acquainted with recent investigations of the subjects discussed. While the book is not a laboratory guide and contains few details of instruments or laboratory technic, the experimental point of view is always dominant. The reader isconstantly aware that the material presented to him has been withdrawn directly from the literature and that much of it is from research still in progress. There are many tables of data to illustrate the results of experiment and the success or limitations of theory. Nnmerous figures illustrate the facts and experimental methods. A goad index and a table of symbols will be of value to the student who must interrupt his reading a t intervals. Excellent judgment has been exercised in the mathematical treatments. The fundamental assumptions underlying various theories are explained, the conclusions are stated and discussed. Mathematical details, of interest only to the specialist who must necessarily work with the original literature, are omitted. The points of interest to the general reader stand out, therefore, in clear relief. I t is possible for an experienced reader to profit greatly from a pleasant, rapid reading of the book. In a new hook as extensive as this some mistakes are to be expected. A few, it s&ms, should be pointed out. On page 83, the author expresses his regret that there is no method for the determination of the degree of dissociation, or, of strong electrolytes which is comparable with that of MacInnes and Shedlovsky for weak electrolytes such as acetic acid. The evaluation of the concentration term, c, occurring in the expression for the equivalent conductance of (the ions of) acetic acid depends upon or of the acetic acid. Likewise each of the equations for the equivalent conductance of the three strong electrolytes, from which the acetic acid equation was derived, involves the ion concentration of the respective strong electrolyte. If one of the strong electrolytes should prove to be incompletel~dissociated the whole method would presumably fail and the value of ar of the acetic acid would be, a t best, uncertain. The ion concentrations in acetic acid solutions have not, therefore, been determined more accurately than similar concentrations in solutions of the three (involved) strong electrolytes. Another error, probably less important, is the use of incomplete units for the equivalent (and mold) conductance. The author bas been careful toremind the reader that the words "dissociation" and "ionization" are Rot synonymous, and points out that dissociation can occur without ionization. Unfortunately he also maintains that a gaseous molecule like that of cesium fluoride is ionized but not dissociated. The reviewer feels that such an expansion of the meaning of the word ioniealion would deprive it of much of its value. The reviewer was disappointed in the chapter on the "Fundamentals of Thermodynamics," in which well-established conventions are completely disregarded. Perhapslittle harm will be done for it is likely thai themajority of readers of the book will have been trained in therdynamics and will omit this seemingly unnecessary chapter. The text, as a whole, is clearly written, thorough, and up to date. I t deserves to be widely read and will prove both profitable and pleasurable. T . F. YOUNG
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Gaonos Hsneear
JONES
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TR& UNIYBRSITY OF CBICACD
GENERALCHEMISTRY POR COLLEGES.Herman T. Briscoe, Indiana University. Honghton Mifflin Company, Boston, 1935. viii f872 pp. 261 figs. 15.5 X 23.5 an. $3.75. This book is designed for students who are starting to study chemistry, but the reviewer agrees with the author's statement that i t contains enough material so that it may he used by stu-
dents who have had one year of chemistry in high school. The material is divided into 39 chapters which in turn may be grouped as follows in order to give an idea as to where emphasis is placed: theory, 12 chapters; non-metals, 11chapters; metals, 8 chapters; organic chemistry, 3 chapters; colloids, solutions, radioactivity, 1chapter for each. Although oxygen and hydrogen are introduced early in the book the major part of the first half of the book is devoted to a development of the atomic and molecular theories and applications. The historical method is used for the developments. Modern beliefs are contrasted with the older views. Atomic structure (Bohr theory) is presented early and used throughout the book. Compounds are classified as "electrovalent" or "covalent" and these types are carefully explained. Many of the more difficult concepts of chemistry are mentioned early in the book and then repeated and expanded in later pages. The arrangement of the chapters on descriptive chemistry is somewhat unusual in that the treatment of the non-metals is interrupted by the introduction of a chapter dealing with the alkali metals. The physical make-up of the hook is attractive. The illustrations are clear and interesting. I t is printed with good type on thin but opaque paper so that the volume is not unduly large even though it contains almost 900 pages. Some of the material which some teachers will wish to omit is minted in small tvoe. , M a n y of thr cltscriptive chapters contain summaries. 1\11or t h e chapleri contain tbnupht-prowking questions, and reading rcferenccs including many references to rhe JUL'RNAL OF CHFMICAL EDUCATION. One may wonder, when reading page 446 about the electrolysis of fused sodium hydroxide, why the OH- ions are discharged a t the anode only t o react a t once to form oxygen and water. This well written, interesting, and comprehensive text is an addition to our list of excellent texts on general chemistry for colleges. E. ROGERWASHBURN
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UNIVB~SITY OF NBBEASU LINCOLN,NBBRASY*
INORGANIC COLLOID CHEMISTRY,VOL. 11. THE HYDROUS OXIDES AND HYDROXIDES.Harry Boyer Weiser. Professor of Chemistry a t The Rice Institute. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.. New York City, 1935.., vii'+429 pp. 701 figs. 15 X 23 cm. $4.75. The aim of this haok is t o discuss the methods of preparation, properties, and uses of oxides in the colloidal state. I t is not merely a revision of an earlier haok by the same author but has been largely rewritten and changed t o conform with the latest developments. The first chapter is devoted to a general consideration of the preparation and properties of hydrous oxides and gels, and the subject matter of the second chapter is the hydrous oxides of iron. The third chapter deals with the hydrous oxides of the aluminum family while the fourth chapter has for its subject matter hydrous chromic oxide. I n the neat ten chapters the oxides are taken up as stated in the preface "in so far as practicable, in the order in which they appear in the periodic table." The last four chapters discuss the technical applications of the hydrous oxides in mordant dyeing, mineral tanning. and water purification. The aims of the book have been very well accomplished and a wealth of information is presented in a clear manner. The amonnt of material included in the book should make it a valuable reference work, while the literature citations are complete, so that one has a t hand the starting point for the investigation of hvther details. The chapters devoted t o the technical applications furnish much material for the teacher who wishes to point out the practical applications of colloid chemistry. Far these reasons the hook should be a valuable reference work for those interested in teaching the science of chemistry. For the student of chemistry it furnishes a very readable and interesting study of an important field of colloid chemistry. ARTHUR A. VERNON R ~ D ISLAND B STATBCOLLBOB KINGSION, R a m = ISI.AND
MATHEMATICS AND THE QUESTIONOF COS~UC MIND (WITH Omsrt ESSAYS). CasSius Jackson Keyser, Adrain Professor Emeritus of Mathematics, Columbia University. Scripta Mathematica. Yeshiva College, Amsterdam Avenue and 186th Street, New York City, 1935. v 121 pp. 12.5 X 19 cm. $0.75.
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This bonk, Number Two of the Scripta Mathematica Library, consists of six essays, reprinted, with some alterations, from articles that have recently appeared in various journals. The author discusses the meaning of mathematics and its relation t o nature and life for "intellectual non-specialisis," for those "who like to think, not for the multitude of those who are satisfied with being merely told." To read it understandingly does not require a mathematician's knowledge of mathematics. I n the first essay, "The Meaning of Mathematics," distinction is made hetween the nature of mathematics and the nature of mathematicsl applications. Considering mathematics from the viewpoints (1) of an "intellectual enterprise" aimed t o establish hypothetical propositions, (2) of a "body of knowledge," and (3) of a "type of thinking,'' a comprehensive definition of mathematics is reached, based on the concept of a "hypothetical doctrinal function" as developed from the "type of thinking" viewpoint. "An ideal exposition of any branch of mathematics always is a well-wrought postulational discourse, a logically ordered presentation of both the product or result and the processes of postulational thinking." Considering mathematics and science to embrace the whole realm of man's knowledge, "as is expressible by propositions," science for the "Actual world," mathematics for the "IogicaUy Possible world," the range of possible applications of mathematics coincides with the potential scope of science, and this scope embraces all the subject matters, material or mental, physical or psychical, organic or inorganic, of the Actual World." Mathematics and science are differentiated thus. "Scientific truth resides in categoricals. refers t o their content, and admits of no test hut obsemtionMathematical truth resides only in hypotheticals, refers to their forms, and owns no test save deduction " I n "The Bearings of Mathematics" reference is made to a "certain rich manifold of light-giving relations connecting mathematics with those great human interests and human concerns in which there is, properly, no question of establishing mathematical propositions or of making mathematical applications." The bearings are carried by "the relations which tie it as one among the cognate expression-Forms of a given Culture to the other Forms thereof." such as philosophy, poetry, painting, etc. As hearings the author discusses, among others, ideals as conformed to the mathematical concepts of limit, relations, change, invariance, logical criticism, inlinity. The relatively brief "Mathematics and the Question of the Cosmic Mind" states that since "the universe has headily more and more revealed itself as being, not a chaos, hut a cosmos, as being, that is, a realm or locus of humanly discoverable and humanly understandable logical relationships, order, and law-we may say with almost perfect confidence that our Universe is, essentially and ultimately, a realm of Mind." "Mitigating the Tragedy of our Modern Culture" defines this tragedy as the fact that many individuals "who by their native endowments of intellect were in their vouth well oualified for the
appeals of other interests, have chosen, or have been constrained, to devote their energies t o other pursuits.-It is these men and women who keenly feel the pain of being told in their mature ,-ears, and of having to believe, that their conceptions of the world they inhabit-their conceptions of the essential natures and interrelations of Space, Time, Matter, and Mid-are as grotesquely crude, inadequate, and false as those of a peasant." The means of mitigating this tragedy is the development of "the a r t of so presenting and so expounding scientific and mathematical ideas, methods, and achievements, together with their philosophic implications and spiritual significance, as to engage
the interest and reach the understanding of intellectual laymen." In the essay "On the Study of Legal Science" the author contends that law, being a "variant function of Variables," can be studied by the mathematical method. If law is to be a branch of science i t must deal with natural phenomena. "The science of law will consist of categorical propositions setting forth the distinctive behavior of the judiciary together, of course, with the stimuli calling it forth and the circumstances conditioning it." The concluding essay, "William Benjamin Smith," is a eulogy of the life and work of the deceased educator. Any "intellectual non-specialist" in mathematics will be amply repaid by reading this entertaining text and obtaining the viewpoint of an authority on "sheer mathematics." Cnas. G. E l c n ~ r ~
POPO~P's QunNTIr~TlveANALYSIS Revised by Murray J. Rice and Warm P. Cor1eIyou. Alfxd University. Third edition. P. Blakiston's Son & Co., Inc., Philadelphia, 1935. xxii 555 P P 75 figs. 23 X 15 cm. $4.00.
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The well-known text on elementary quantitative analysis by the late Professor Popoff of the University of Iowa, which some years ago passed through two editions, now appears in the third edition as a very extensive revision a t the hands of two chemistry professon at Alfred University. This book was a pioneer ariginally in combining in one volume theory, practice, complete diiections for laboratory procedure, and problems, and as such paved the way for several later texts of similar type. The original purposes and methods are retained in this revision but much of the text has heen rewritten and the whole has been rearranged into two books. Book I is intended to supply material for an elementary course and Book I1 the material for an advanced course which might he called "Special Topics and Special Methods in Analytical Chemistry," although the instructor has the option of using any of this material as he wishes. Within Book I the subject matter is divided into sharp classifications: elementary theory, rules of computation, dictionaries (the actual term and method used) of experimental rules and regulations, of instruments and apparatus, of reagents and materials, and of unit ooerations. followed hv the snecific methods. Book I1 is simihrly divided for advanced material, including besides the usual rravimetrh: and volumetric methods, clear and r\lensivc treatment of elrctrodcporition, putmtiomtrric and condurrimrrrir analyses, silicate, gas, and iron and steel analyses. This book is, therefore, quite complete for the usual onesemester, or year courses in quantitative analysis. While the material is organized in an unusually clear-cut fashion, the success of its use will depend on the genius and foresight exerted by the instructor to the end that the average sophomore student will not be Lost in the wanderins between Books I and 11. The is placed wherever the operation can be suspended to a later period. I t must be concluded that this revisioshas been consummated with great earnestness and effort, judiciously based on an established hook and name, but almost uniquely the creation of Rice and Cortelyou. The work must compete with excellent late texts and others in process of publication. I n general the choice of material, the modern treatment, and the inclusion in one volume of all necessary aspects of the subject, embracing even questions and problems, seem adequate. The mechanics of the published volume add much t o the general merit: a heavy washable cover, strong binding, freedom from error, and commendable typography, especially the use of bold-faced type for equations and formulas which causes them to stand out like friendly lighthouses to save the student from shipwreck on the dark and rock-bound coasts of quantitative analysis. The text begins with a welkhosen qnotation-not from Aristotle, Liebig. or Fresenius, but from Edgar A. Guest. I t ends in the last line of the index with the words-"as areducing agent." As such for
