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Methods of separating isotopes are presented in detail, and equipment for accelerating atomic projectiles is described. Atomic fission is adequately treated, while the omission of cosmic rays is perhaps justifiable in a treatment dealing with atoms. The second chapter, “Quantum Theory of Atomic Spectra and Atomic Structure,” by Saul Dushman (317 pages), is an adequate treatment of atomic states and their transitions as revealed by modern spectroscopy. The first and second laws of thermodynamics are presented in Chapter 3 (74 pages) by H. S. Taylor, and the third law in chapter 4 (144 pages) by John S. Aston. The subsequent four volumes are devoted t o the “States of Matter,” “Chemical Equilibrium,” “Chemical Kinetics,” and “Molecular Structure.” S. C. LIND.
Physical Science. By WILLIAMEHRET, Editor, AND LESLIE E. SPOCK,JR., WALTERA. SCHNEIDER, CARELVAN DER MERWE,AND HOWARD E. WAHLERT. 6%x 9) in.; x 639 pp,; 23 tables; 293 figures. New York City: The Macmillan Company, 1942. Price: $3.90. A work covering such a broad field as modern physical science should have, a s this book has, the advantage of a number of authors, each contributing t o his own field of specialization and from his own special knowledge of one of the many subjects treated. On the other hand, in a work to be encompassed in a limited number of pages, there must necessarily be a compromise between space and complete treatment. While the authors have evidently been influenced by this necessity, the result is a book which will disappoint the specialist in many of i t s chapters while a t the same time attracting the general reader by i t s wide range. But the reviewer’s quarrel is not with the exposition but rather with the underlying idea t h a t there should be a course or a book of this length attempting t o cover the entire field of physical science. The idea is fallacious and the result is disappointing in spite of the abundant and attractive illustrations. S. C. LIND.
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N a ~ u r a land Synthetic High Polymers. A textbook and reference book for chemists and biologists. By KURTH. MEYER. High Polymer Series, Volume IV. 6 x 9 in.; xviii 690 pp.; 79 tables; 180 illustrations. New York City: Interscience Publishers, Inc., 1942. Price:$11.00. This book intends t o give a general survey of the field of inorganic and organic high polymers. I t s main purpose is t o communicate facts. Therefore the author describes, principally, our present experimental knowledge concerning the structure and properties of macromolecular substances in general. I n doing so, he follows the well-established method of chemistry textbooks, starting with inorganic systems (first elements and later compounds) and passing on to organic materials. I n the domain of organic substances, he begins with the synthetic polyhydrocarbons, continues to describe chlorides, alcohols, esters, etc., and finally discusses natural polymers such as rubber, cellulose, starch, lignin, and proteins. Throughout the presentation a critical attitude is maintained. There is no mere enumeration of long lists of original papers compiling and reflecting the results of various experts, but for each substance the author condenses the multitude of facts t,o an essential minimum and presents the result of this condensation in plain and simple terms. I t may be t h a t in some instances too much was omitted, but in the reviewer’s belief the advantage of a concise and clear presentation of fundamental facts outbalances the demand for encyclopedic completeness. Much emphasis is laid on earlier work in such fields a s rubber, cellulose, a n d proteins, and i t is attempted to give the reader a vivid impression a s to how our present knowledge was gradually built up b y the systematic and simultaneous use of physical, chemical, and hiological methods. Owing t o the war and t o the author’s location in Switzerland, t h e final work on the volume was laborious and time-consuming. This may account for the fact t,hat the American literature of the last two years has not always been incorporated to t h e
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extent which would be desirable for a n up-to-date monograph. Readers will eventually make this observation if they look for recent publications on rubber elasticity, osmotic pressure, oxycellulose, and the like. The field which this book covers is unusually wide, reaching from silicate structures to synthetic rubber and from polymeric sulfur t o viruses and chromosomes. But i t is the common principles of high polymeric character which not only provide the link for the presentation but actually have made all these systems accessible t o the same experimental methods and the same fundamental structural principles. Physicist, chemist, and biologist will find much valuable information in the domain of their main interest and in adjacent fields. If the volume were merely t o do what has been reported hitherto, namely. communicate the present state of our experimental knowledge, i t would be very usefill, but dry. Fortunately this is not the case. The author is well known t o have his favorite fields of activity and his “pet” ideas. He presents and applies them throughout the volume and the entire text is infiltrated with interesting remarks and creative hypotheses. Many of them will prove t o be correct, some of them presumably are vrong-but what do we need more for the advancement of science in B difficult field than the outspoken opinion of a n intelligent person? The reviewer had the privilege of colloborating with Dr. hIeyer sixteen years ago and he is very much pleased t o see from this book ?hat the author has lost nothing of his creative imagination and unbiased criticism. Much tribute must be paid t o the British translator, 1,. E. I
