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Recent Books
Principles of Chemistry. JOSEPH H. ROE. Ph.D., Professor of Biochemistry, George Washington University Medical School. Third edition. The C. V. Mosby Co., St. Louis, Mo., 1932. 486 pp. 39 Fig. 13 X 20 cm. $2.50.
lar group of students, it might well be used for supplementary reading in high-school or college work. C. E. WHITE
This book includes laboratory experi-. ments as well as the theoretical material. The number of pages devoted to theory are 320 and t o experiments 136. Of the latter about 50 are left blank for notes. [For a review of the second edition, see J. Cnena. EDUC.,7,216-7 (Jan., 1930).1 It is written t o provide an elementary course, primarily for nurses, who do not expect t o pursue more advanced work in chemistry. The Erst part covers in a very brief way the material usually considered in the first semester of the ordinary college course. The remainder, about one-third, is devoted t o organic chemistry. For those who have used previous editions it might be well t o state that the book now has chapters on the periodic law, the structure of matter, oxidation and reduction. and sections an the combining laws and ionization in relation t o electron structure. The chapter on foods has been carefully revised. The organic part is devoted mainly t o topics of interest t o nurses as food, blood, milk, and metabolism. In a hook of this kind it is very difficult t o say what should be included. The author has chosen to devote only three pages t o the halogens and six t o the metals and their compounds. The laboratory part is a series of simple experiments, followiug the same order as the theoretical part, upon materials discussed. It is unfortunate that the publishers did not give more attention t o the diagrams. Some of these would be much more attractive if drawn by an expert. The book is well written. The author's style is pleasing and the subject matter is presented in an attractive manner. I n addition t o being a good tent for a particu-
Laboratory Manual to Accompany Introductory General Chemistry. HAROLD G. DIETRICH AND ERWINB. KELSEY. Assistant Professors in Chemistry, Yale University. The Macmillan Co., New 158 73 pp. York City, 1932. x 17 Fig. 14 X 22 em. $1.00.
u~m~xssr OF r M*ny~mo C O L ~ OPARR, B MD.
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As stated in the preface, the manual is designed t o accompany Brinkley's "Introductory General Chemistry" and yet is capable of being adapted t o the usual course in elementary chemistry. I n recognition of the trend toward qualitative analysis in connection with general chemistry courses, a section on "elementary qual+tive analysis" is included, about one-third of the book being devoted t o it. The number of experiments devoted t o any subject is, in general, more than a n he intelligently perfarmed in the usual time allotted. A selection is therefore possible. I n most cases a group of related experiments is preceded by an introductory paragraph, pointing out the purpose of the experiments in the group, and followed by a list of review questions. Except in a few cases. the experiments are of the same general type found in laboratory manuals of general chemistry. I n the demonstration of electrical conductivity, a voltmeter is used instead of the usual lamp. The set-up is especially good and makes possible a more accurate difierentiation between M e r e n t types of electrolytes. I n general the experiments are well selected and clearly written so that students should have no trouble in following directions. Certain experiments are inserted, however, for which no directions are given. This should be of especial 20115
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JOURNAL OF CHB:MICAL EDUCATION
value, particularly to the better grade student, since it challenges his ability t o think independently and to make practical use of knowledge already gained. Mechanically the b w k is well arranged as t o subject matter, well printed, and m i t e free from errors.
NOVEMBER, 1932
ous processes of nitrogen fixation. Under the chapter headings descriptive of given methods is found usually another historical account of the commercial development. capacities, and costs, hut quite properly the major attention is given to the fundamental reactions involved and their improvement or greater completeness. I n dealing with ammonia synthesis, there is presented a n admirable discussion of the Fixed Nitrogen. H-Y A. , C m ~ r s . kinetic relations involved in this process. Editor, with the collaboration of F. E. together with the surface conditions of the ALLISON.J. R. DILLEY,W. L. EDWARDS. catalysts used. It is likely that these P. H. EMMETT,E. W. GUERNSEY. P. E. pages in the future will he repeatedly and HOWARD, H. J. KIUSE, N. W. KRASE. eagerly scanned by the technologists who C. H. KUNSMAN.ALBERT R. MERZ, are charged with the operation of ammonia WIEBE. plants. The teacher and casual scientist WILLIAM H. ROSS,AND RICHARD will likewise turn t o them for a fuller American Chemical Sodety Monomaph satisfaction of the queries that arise from Series, No. 59. The Chemical Catalog Company, New York City. 1932. 517 the remarkable development of this phase pp. 82 Fig. 111 Tables. 15 X 23 of industry. Two chapters are devoted to what cm. S12.W. ordinarily constitutes material given in This is a comprehensive treatise dealing works of reference. Yiz., the physical with the distribution of the earth's total properties of the six gases encountered in nitrogen and the exposition of the scientific facts and theories of nitrogen fixation. nitrogen fixation and high-pressure technic. The technologist will, no doubt, welcome Inasmuch as the authors have a t some its indusion while the general reader will time been connected with the Fixed page i t over. The chapter dealing with Nitrogen Research Laboratory (U. S. + synthesis of urea is an excellent treatise the Dept. of Agriculture), i t is in a sense a of an interesting product that promises to summary of the work that has been done use a part of the by-product carbon or reviewed in the activities of the laharadioxide of the Haber-Bosch process. tory. This alone is sufficient t o vouch far The concluding chapters of the b w k are its thoroughness and completeness. concerned with the commercial outlets or The sixteen chapters may very well be divided into three sections The first four applications of fined nitrogen. Synthetic chapters constitute an introduction t o the fertilizers are discussed in detail, flow main theme of nitrogen fixation. They sheets and sketches of the processes are deal with the sources of nitrogen com- given, and the reader may gain an excellent perspective of the expanding field into pounds, its fixation by living organisms, the winning of it from natural deposits, which these products are now going. Its future promise is unfolded in a statistical and its recovery from the distillation of chapter dealing with thegrowth, costs. and coal. The discussion of nitrogen fixation is prices prevailing in the industry. The book is a real contribution to approached historically with a description of the commercial development of the chemical technology. It is surprisingly various processes used in the past or now free from repetition when one considers Dr. Curtis' statement that the editorial in use. Considerable space is given t o the methods available for studying the prerogative was lightly used. In the activity of gases and of catalyst surfaces further exercise of the popular interest in nitrogen fixation and in the promised which play an important part in the vari~
