t o be exhaustive. The suggestions are by way of illustration rather than positive recommendations. "Part 111 treats of the individual student-understanding him and dealing with him as a unique personality, and evaluating his progress toward an ever-increasing personal adequacy and social effectiveness." The first chapter of this part is essentially a brief treatment of the psychology of the adolescent, and bas no direct bearing upon science teaching in particular. The second chapter discusses various attempts of evaluation, and contains many examples of tests designed to evaluate the "intangibles" of education, such as "rdective thinking." and "ability to discover and define problems." This type of tests has many possibilities, although the examples given in the book can be considered only as experimental pioneer work. The critical teacher will want evidence for their validity and their reliability. "Part IV outlines some suggestions of how the teacher may make use of the report of the Committee in meeting students' needs, in understanding the student, in reorganizing courses, and in building source units." The suggestions are, on the whale, sane and should prove of value to teachers. "The Appendices describe some concrete examples of science teaching, each of which is illustrative of one or more aspects of the various proposals and suggestions of the previous text." I t consists of an outline of a course in functional chemistry, a fused physical-sciencecourse, a unit on public health, and a source unit in genetics. The appeal of the book depends a good deal upon whether the teacher accepts both the philosophy and the methodology of the Progressive Education Association. I n the experience of the reviewer, most teachers, while they are willing to accept the basic point of view, are not convinced that the methodology is the correct one, or a t least that it has been developed sufficiently to warrant discarding the present logical organization of the courses in its favor. This book does little to dispel such skepticism. It has not been demonstrated that the newer technics achieve the desired results, and even a casual examination reveals lack of consistency of methods and immediate purposes, I n nearly every case the word "science" should be modified as "applied science;' or be replaced by the word "technology." Nor can the lack of unifying logic be defended entirely on the basis of difference of needs in different groups, in a country in which a dominant characteristic is intermigration, both geographical and among the various social, cultural. and economic groups. Nevertheless, the eclectic teacher will find many valuable suggestions, which will aid him t o become socially conscious and critical of his subject matter and his methods of instruction. The comprehensive bibliographies a t the end of each chapter should also prove of value. It is hoped that in succeeding editions the newer technics will be critically evaluated,and a consistent methodology be developed and clearly presented. THEODOREA. ASHFOBD TBBUNIVERSITY 0s CHICADO CHICAM, ILLINOIS
LABORATORY M m f i OF ORGANICCHEMISTRY. Harry L. Fisher, Research Chemist, U. S. Industrial Alcohol Company. Stamford, Connecticut. Fourth edition. John Wiley and Sons, Iuc., New York City, 1938. xvii 412 pp. 14 X 22 em. $2.75. The substantial popularity of this laboratory manual, which bas carried it through four editions, is a testimonial of its excellence. I n the present revision the author has incorporated new reactions in order that the student may benefit by recent developments. References to current literature have been inserted and minor changes incorporated in certain of the procedures. I n Part I, seventy-seven preparations and reactions are described which o5er the teacher af laboratory work in organic chemistry an excellent list from which t o choose. These experiments are well distributed; sir experiments are concerned with general procedures, thirty-eight with syntheses and reactions essentially aliphatic in character and thirty-three with aromatic and heterocyclic compounds. The manual is adaptable t o a full year's caurse or t o a one-semester short course by selecting suitable experiments suggested in the preface.
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Alternative procedures for preparing certain compounds are given and fourteen new procedures added. These arenbutyl nitrite, diazoaminohenzene, aminoazobenzene, dimethylglyoxime, 1.5-diphenylthiocarbazone ("dithizone"), tetramethyldiaminodiphenylmetbane, 9-(a,a.y.y-tetramethylbuty1)-phenol, o-henzylbenzoic acid and its conversion to anthraquinone, fur& acid and furfuryl alcohol, copper phthalacyanine (Monastral Blue), dichlorod~uoromethane, Tyrian purple, and the DielsAlder reaction-illustrated by the addition of maleic anhydride t o anthracene. The combination of these new experiments with those in previous editions gives a well rounded up-to-date manual. The directions are clearly written and provide specific instructions for the laboratory work. Part I1 of the manual describes macro procedures for the determination of carbon and hydrogen by the combustion method. nitrogen by the Damus methods, and halogens, sulfur, and phosphorus by the Carius and sodium peroxide methods. This portion of the book is essentially unchanged but the author has inserted references to recent literature. I t is t o he hoped that in a future edition the author will supplement these macro analytical procedures by the less expensive, timesaving semimicro methods. The b w k is carefully edited and well printed. I t can be recammended to both students and teachers. R. L. SHRINER Urn"B.SITY OP ILLW0.S URBANA. 1-NOIS Volume 7. Edited by EROEBNISSEDER ENZYMFORSCRUNO, F. F. Nord and R. W&&nhagm. Akademische Vedagsgesellschaft, M. B. H.. Leipzig, 1938. xiv 437 pp. 24 X 16 cm. RM 34. This is an annual publication devoted t o the presentation of critical reviews in the field of enzyme research. The following table of contents is typical of any of the seven volumes of the "Ergehuke" so far published and is indicative of the immense scope that this journal covers: "The theory of absolute reaction rates applied to enzyme catalysis." by Allen E. Stem (in English); "Lyo- and desrno enzymes," hy E. Bamann and W. Salzer (in German); "Sulfatases," by CI. Fromageot (in French); "Emulsion," by B. Helferich (in German); "Nucleases." by H. Bredereck (in German; "Crystalline carhaxypeptidase," by M. L. Anson (in English); "Enzymes in the tanning industry," by F. Schneider (in German); "Dehydrogenase research of recent years." by T. Thunberg (in German); "Chemical structure of enzymes,'' by 0. Warburg (in German) ; "Biochemistry of acetic acid bacteria," by K. Bernhauer (in German); "Immunchemistry and its relation to enzymes," by J. Marrack (in English); "Theinteractionof ascorbic acid (vitamin C) with enzymes," by H. Tauher (in English); "Certain aspects of the biochemistry of the lower fungi ("moulds")." by H. Raistrick (in English); "Enzymatic adaptation by micro6rgauisms," by K. Karstr6m (in German); "Katalysis and determinismus," by A. Mittasch (in German). Since the appearance of Volume 1 in 1932, the ERGEBNIssE DER EN~YMPOR~CHKJNG has become an indispensable "Nacbschlagewerk" to those interested in enzymology. The editors, Dr. Nord and Dr. Weidenhsgen, are to be congratulated for collecting these important papers. HENRY TAUBER
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ORGANICAND B I O C H E M I S I RR. Y .I 1 . A Wimmer. Sixth edition. 1.ongmans. Grccn and C o , S e w York City, 1938. x 623 PP. 15 X 25 rm. $7.51~.
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THE Mncrc WANDOP SCIENCE. Eugene W. Nelson. E. P. Dutton and Co., Inc., New York City, 1938. 213 pp. 12.5 X 19 cm. $2.00.
Tm STANDARDIZATION OF VOLUMETRIC SOLUTIONS.R. B. Bradstrcet. Chemical Publishing Co. of New York, Inc., New York City. 1938. 126 pp. 13.5 X 20.5 cm. $3.00.
