read like the writings "of the scribes and Pharisees" and not as "of one speaking with authority." None of the authors seem to have tried to assay the literature from the simultaneous viewpoints of both physics and chemistry. Practically all of them seem to live in mortal terror of leaving out of the body of their text the name of even a two by twice investigator. The result is that by the time the class has finished its first text on colloid "theory" a t the end of the first semester, it has the jitters from an overdose of "A says 'tis, but B says 'taint." All this makes the choice of a textbook for the second semester a delicate task. Since colloid theory, such as it is, has unavoidably been taken up during the first semester, it is reasonable to look for a hook on the physical properties of colloid materials for the second semester. Books of this sort, suitable for college textbooks, are scarce, however. With this problem on his mind, your reviewer started to read Houwiuk. He had not gone far before he had discovered that by omitting Chapter V (an admirable chapter of fifty-five pages by Dr. Burgen on the plasticity of crystals), he had almost exactly what he had been looking for. Alter forty-four pages of a review of elementary rheology, the author takes up the formation of "solid" matter from a fluid and its consequences with regard to viscosity, plasticity, and elasticity; the structure of heterogels: swelline: thixotroov: conditions for auasi-flow: conditions for rigidity. Then, starling with Chapter \'I, he takes up the rheological properties of impormnr colloids such a* glaq5, resins, asphalts, rubber, cellulose compounds and related products, proteins, bread dough, paints, and clay. But these properties of thixotropy, plasticity, elasticity, and viscosity are the properties which give all these colloid materials their industrial value. Obviously, what the authors intended to be a book on applied rheolow fand it is a mod elementam treatise on rheolow "- and its applications) comes very close to being a fine second-semester book on the industrial properties of colloids. At any rate, that is what your reviewer expects to use Houwink's book for next semester. WHEELER P. DAVEY
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SCIYDL OI. CBBYISTRY AND PBVSICS T H E PBNNOYLVANI* STAT&COLLBE&
STATE COLLEOE, PBNNIYLYINIA
METHODSOP QUANTITATIVECHEMICALANALYSIS. M. G. Mellow, Ph.D., Purdue University. The Macmillan Co., New York City, 1937. vii 456 pp. 76 figs. 14 X 21 cm. $3.00.
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Only a few years ago there was a decided dearth of good textbooks for the presentation of theory and experiment in quantitative analysis. Within a very short period of time, however, several new and noteworthy contributions to this field have appeared. I t is evident that almost every author on the subject of quantitative analysis has taken i t upon himself to write a hook which meets the particular needs of his own teaching and which is based uoon his own exoerience. The latest of this series of texts corner from the p m or a man who has established a very envialk reputation as a n analytical teacher and inrrsigator. hlodern texm in quantitat~veandysis must difler necessarily not so much in subject matter as in the classification of methods, the order of experimentation, the coardination of theory with practice, and the inclusion or exclusion of a larger variety of methods, largely instrumental, than elementary texts usually include. So the present hook presents certain unique features not to be found in other competitors. The first three chapters deal with a general introduction, the recording, evaluation, and use of experimental data and managing of quantitative work. Part I deals with the sample, its selection and preparation, the measurement by mass and by volume, and the preliminary treatment of the sample. Part I1 has the title "The Desired Constituent" with, first, the methods of separation including volatilization, precipitation, electrochemical, and extraction methods; then follow the methods of measurement. These are classified under specific property methods and
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systemic property methods. Under the first are included mass indirectly, titrimetric methods involving neutralization, oxidation-reduction and precipitation; and next, mass directly or gravimetric methods, volume and volumetric methods, pressure and manometricmethods, temperatureand thermornetricmethods. Thus Professor Mellon, in agreement with other authors, prefers t o present the volumetric procedure first. Under systemic property methods appear density and specific gravity, opticochemical methods, electrometric methods, and other methods. An appendix includes references, additional applications, an outline of work for two semesters, a list of analyzed samples, specific gravities, and a graphic logarithm table. I t is evident from the table of contents that no separate treatment is given to the theory upon which quantitative procedure is hased. This theory appears to be incorporated directly with the treatment of the subject matter. One might even gain the impression that the theoretical aspects have been somewhat minimized and i t is true that actuslly only a minimum of theoretical presentation appears although adequate for understanding b y the average college sophomore. The entire procedure reflects very careful thought and long experience, even though the experimental side is stressed far beyond any theoretical aspects. Use is made to an unusual degree of what may be termed "ward coinage." Such words as "permangauimetry," reductimetry," "thiosulfatimetry," "ferrousimetry," "ferrocyanimetry." "opticometry," "roentgenometry," etc., convey themeaning, but it is to be questioned whether some of these very awkward words are not better replaced with the more familiar and usual combinations of words. The lists of problems a t the end of most of the chapters are limited but appear to be adequate for illustrating general principles. I t is the expectation of the author that the instructor using the book will add exercises as may seem desirable. While there can be wide differences of opinion as t o the method of presentation, there is unquestionably a certain clear logic in the development, and the chosen experiments sre certainly those that can he used in the average college laboratory for the development of technic and for illustration of principles. The mechanics of the baok are excellent with the usual strong waterproof binding. The text seems to be free from error and, as stated before, reflects in every detail the painstaking and enthusiastic regard by the author for his chosen field of work. Especially for two-semester courses in quantitative analysis, this new text should have wide acceptance. G. L. CLARK
A COMMENTARY ON THE SCIENTIFICW R I T ~ GOP S J. WILLARD GIBES, Volume I. Thermodynamics; Volume 11, Theoretical Physics. Edited by F. G. Donnan and Arthur Haas. Yale University Press, New Haven, Connecticut, 1936. xx 605 pp. 14.5 X 22.5 cm. $10.00.
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I n 1906, afew years after the death of Josiah Willard Gibbs, his scattered papers together with some previously unpublished writings were collected, grouped according to subject, and published as THESC~ENTIYIC PAPERSOF J. WILLARD GIBES. I t WBS not until 1928 that the first completeeditionof Gibbs's published writings appeared in two volumes entitled, THE COLLECTED GIBES. The later compilation contained WORKSoa J. WILLARD all of the material included in the first, and in addition. ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES IN STATISTICAL MECHANICS, which had been published by Gibbs as a bwk. Though these editions of his papers have made Gibbs's writings conveniently accessible, many readers have found that "the generality and abstract nature of the reasoning" made his methods difficult. To facilitate and su~ulement the studv of his writinw is one of the two ourooses of .. the beautiful new volumes which bear the title, C O ~ E N T A ON EY THE SCIENTIFIC WRITINGS OF J. WILLARD GIBES. The other and
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