586
JOURNAL O F CHEMICAL EDUCATION
pounds, e. g., phosgene, thionyl chloride, mlfur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, etc. Chapters VII, VIII, IX, and X cover organic compounds, beginning with hydrocarbons and ending with compounds containing, N, P, S, or Si. Chapter X I deals with natural and industrial products. In Chapter XI1 through Chapter XVI are discussed preventive measures, operations and processes with their hazards, maximum allowable concentrations or harmful vapors, fumes or dusts, "fallacies and unsolved problems," and general sampling devices and procedures. The last Chapter, XVII, describes useful methods and orocedures for the estimation of some of t,bo cumrnoner suhstancrr rrro~mtrrrdin industry. The book closes with .i lict oi R(i6 r r f e r ~ m xand an indeu. TI might hc dtlcd rl.nt rwmt l~lcrstucr.i> wrll rrprricnted in rhr bibliography. Written by a chemist who has practical familiarity with his subject, this volume should prove useful 8nd valuable to the manager and supervisor where aorkers may he exposed to toxic materials. Esoeciallv useful features are Table 38. in which are awmbled ms~imuniolloe;lble concrntmticnr ior 51 p g e s of substsnrea, nml Cl.aptw S V I I, 100 pngcr, whtrc an. denvriht:d analyttml methods nnd pmrerlures for thv cummonrr individusl substances, listed in alphabetical order; these procedures are based for the most part on those employed or in use in the author's laboratory. Replete with information that also the academic chemist should know, this hook is anthoritativelv and well written. ~his.reviewe; questions only the author's dkfinition of minimum lethal dose. The expression "LDso"is preferable. ~
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THE LIGHT METALS hlDUSTRY
Winifred Lewis. Temple Press, Ltd., Bowling Green Lane, 397 pp. 38 tables. London, E. C. 1, England, 1949. xiv Illustrated. 14.5 X 22 cm. 21s. net.
In the words of the authors, tho book was planned with these general aims: (1) To emphasize the significance of science in relation to modem life, its potentitalities for good and for evil; (2) To stress continually the methods of science, rather than the end products of scientific thinking, in the hope that its applications will thereby be greatly extended; (3) To give students some special knowledge of modern ~ciencewhioh will function in their own lives in a socially desirshle manner. If the excellence of the text is a valid criterion these aims pave been eminently well achieved. "The Study of the Physical World" has been known for several years, since its first edition appeared in 1942, as one of the better physical science texts. The advantages and desirable aspects of the first edition have been retained and enlarged upon. The entire book is well planned and presented. For example, each chapter has a partioularly well-written introduction which serves to orient the student and to tie in the chapter with the rest of the text. Each chapter is followed by a summary, following which there are about two pages of study exercises which most teachers will appreciate. The reading suggestions for each of the chapters refer for the most part to authors who emphasize the social and philosophical significance of the various topics. The changes in this edition include: revision of the chapters dealing with the structure of matter, condensation of the former chapters on fuels and foods, revision of the chapter on weather and simplification of the chapter on chemistry, and inclusion of a number of recent scientific advances. The new material continues the effective Dresentation of the rest of the book. is well indred, and contnirar a K*trenms number of excellent timlw; and t n l h . .Another itddr~rlf + ~ t o ip n ~the list of il~+mirnlrlernenti ,up to nu#ubcr nitwty-six) it.side t h ~ .frmt (ww of the text.
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This book is a. historical study of the technological and economic development of the magnesium and aluminum industry. It discusses the problems which have been and are facing the industry and how they reflect the times whioh have made these metals so important. In the words of the author, "if this book is viewed as the 'progress report' of the light metals industry.. . rather than one more textbook on the light metals, the critical spirit in which some of the aspects of the industry are appraised or interpreted will he regarded as admissible," and thus better understood. "It has been particularly interesting.to verify in practice how much of human history is written through the lines of a review of an unfolding industry."
CLAUDE FELL MERZBACHER
SAWDIESOSTATECOLLPOZ SAWDIEQO. CALIPORNIA
Humboldt W. Leverenz, RCA Laboratories Division, Princeton, New Jersey. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 1950. xv 569 pp. 143 figs. 15.5 X 23.5 cm. $12.
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T m s hook, the latest of the postwar trlumes on luminescence is offered as an %troductory and useful description of luminescent solids . . . in lannuaee errtdu., .. comorehensible to the seienoe "~~~~ krc . . . i t LS intended ior nuniluhlisti in lumincie,.nw but it is expected w bc uscful ds a text i n tr~ittingfuturv spcci~lism." T l s viewpoint and ~ c n w d1,11111 d thv hmk 318 commmdnblc in that areasonable balance has been achieved between attention to THE STUDY OF THE PHYSICAL WORLD 0 the practical aspects of -phosphors and the theoretical interpretaNicholas D. Cheronis, Chicago City Colleges, James B. Par- tion-of their behavior. Three short intmductory chapters are devoted to discussions of sons, University of Chicago, and Conrad E. Ronneberg, Denison University. Second edition. Houghton Mifflin Com- elementary ooncepts of matter and energy, bhe properties of crppany, Boston, 1950. ix 907 pp. 467 figs. 69 tables. 16 X tds, and the synthesis of phosphors. These chapters drive home the point that a proper approitch to the understanding of crystal 24 cm. $5. phosphors must combine the considerations of modern solid state AT THE present time the educational world is closely examining physics with those of chemistry and structural orystallogrsphy. its underpinnings. It is probably only the very exceptional col- The next two chapters, comprising about 250 pages or more than lege faculty that is not busily engaged in some program of evalua- half the book, consider the luminescence process in detail, includtion. This attempt at self criticism has been going on for a long ing discussions of energy levels in phosphors, excitation and emistime in the field of Dhvsical science: conseauentlv, there is a sion Dhenomena. laws of luminescence decav. stimulation and large number of textbooks in phys
