Recent Books Chemistry and Recent Progress i n Medicine. J U L ~ V SS T ~ B O G ~ TTZh. e Williams & Wilkins Compnny. Baltimore, Maryland, 1926, viii 62 pp. 22.3 X 15.2 rm. Cloth $1.50. Paper 3.75.
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This volume comprises t h e second series of T h e Charles E. Dohme Memmial Lectures on t h e Relation of Chemistry t o the Progress of Medicine a t T h e Johns Hopkins University. T h e author states in the first paragraph t h a t "a lifelong interrst in t h e great possibilities of chemistry i n the service of medicine" prompted his acceptance of the invitation t o deliver these lectures. T h e book shows t h e applications t o the problems of medicine, of advances in t h e reah" of ehemirtry, a n d plead. for greater co6peration between t h e two sdeneea. It outlines two broad fields in which chemirtry contributes t o medicine; one dealing with material" having t o do with t h e care and prcvmtion of disease, the other with functional or dynamic ride of chemical action. I t treats: specific drugs; active principles of t h e gland.: the vitamins; antitorins a n d vaccine.; oridation; fundamental electronic processes. T h e lectures are of a very high order. Seldom has the reviewer seen so much fundamental material so admirably presented in the compasn of hardly more than an hour's reading. This book is a distinct contribution t o the literature of scientific medicine a n d should be in the hands of t h e members of the profesdon and might well be required as collateral reading f o r senior medical students. Wonl'mu F. R u m
of Qualitative Chemical Analysis. FRANKAUSTIN GOOCY.Ph.D. a n d Prrr.m EMBURYB n o w n r ~ - c , Ph.D., Assistant Pm-
Outliner
fessor of Chemistry in Yale Univerdfy Fifth edition, revised, with appendix. John wirey a n d Sona, Inc., New York, 1925. viii 208 pages. One colored section chart. 13.2 X 20.3 cm. $1.75 net.
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AS stated in the oreface. t h e authors have prepnred this text t o meet the needs of large c1arres in qualitative analysis, of those preparing for work i n related scientific fields, a n d of t h e specialist in exact analysis. T h e authors have chosen a happy medium which such a manifold purpose necessarily requires, namely, of arranging much of t h e matter-offact material in tabular form for ready reference. I n 3 0 doing, however, they have placed less ernpharis upon t h e important principles underlying qualitative analysis, disposing of the theory briefly in about twelve
pages of text, a n d rather stressing experimental details. T h e reviewer ia inclined t o question t h e value of tabulating t h e characteristic reactions of t h e ions, chiefly because thLy d o not compel t h e student t o reason things out for himself. Such a scheme, moreover, is likely to leave t h e impression with t h e student t h a t each salt or ion
periodic system, and t o teach the student t o reaon out each ease by s proees. d elimination. T h e charts. however, d o posses much valuable information, a n d if included as an appendix would be helpful, especially t o t h e eommercia1 analyst. T h e "experimental reviews of important re. actions" include many of the ordinary reactions with which t h e student is already familiar. T h e experience of the reviewer has heen t h a t such preliminary experiments are time-con%uming, and detract greatly from t h e interest of t h e subject. It seems desirable t o start the student immediately on a group separation where h e will in due time become acquainted with t h e reaction3 of each ion. T h e review questionn a t t h e end of the book are chiefly memory questions. Very few balanced equations have been e v e n ; t h e authors have wisely left them for t h e student to work out himself or t o find in reference books. T h e chapter on organic analysis, including acids. alcohols, carbohydrates. and alkaloids, appears out of place in a work of this kind. Few students taking qualitative analysis have had organic chemistry. and the time i. generally 3 0 ~ h o r t t h a t one scarcely succeed. i n covering t h e inorganic acid radical. thoroughly. They might be included t o advantage in a reference work on orxa"ic ana1yria. Some inconristencie* appear in t h e writing of formulac. w h e r e ions or radicals are referred to. as on pp. 14-15, rather than the specific element tested for, they should be written with their respective positive or nesative charges. The obrolete emoirica1 formala aDoears t o be .. preferred by the authors over the ionic: on page 60, hoth forms, F ~ O I H Iand Fe(OH)a are employed! T o write f a r o u s ferrieyanide. Ferr'erCUNIZ, would seem t o complicate n e e d l e d y the writing of formula. for t h e student, who sees in this formula no relation betwee0 t h e valences of t h e radicals comgoring the compound. On page 160, a "double salt of XAKCI.YNHI'' is referred to, but this compound does not in any sense eonform t o the accepted definition of a double salt.
The book is strikingly free from typographical errors and exhibits much careful and painrtak. iag work. Its clarity of presentation, and discrimination in the choice of tests to make the identification of elements more positive and cer. tain, are features which speak decidedly in its favor. T. F. BUBHPSP
A Treatise on Physical Chemistry.
Edited by
rellenee. That, however, is traceable to the c a u s e indicated above. It is also unkind t o judge book8 by the errors in printing. etc. I t is the "spirit of the book" that should concern a reviewer, and in that respect the book is a decided relief from others that have flooded the market. Personally, the reviewer would be ~atisfied,if he had to make such a choice, to give up all the works in physical chemistry he has in his possedon if he could retain this treatise.
HUGH S. TAYLOR, DSc. (Liverpml), Professor of Physical Chemistry. Princeton Uniuenity, Princeton, New Jersey. D. Van Nostrand Compsny. New York, 1925. Vol I. xi 644 p p Illustrated. Vol. 11, ix 700 pp. Illustrated. 23 X 15 cm. R i c e $12.00.
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The aim. of these books are stated by the Editor in the preface: "The prenent treatise on phyrical chemistry repraento, therefore, a eooperative effort on the part of a number of physical chemists to cover generally the major portions of their seenee by contributions in those portions of the subject which their particviar inclinations have led them more espedally t o study and t o which they themselves may have contributed by their own effort and reearch. It is hoped that, in this way, a more authoritative treatment of the several branches of the subject may have been nchieved: perhaps, also, a fresher erpositirm of the subject in its various phases may have been realized." That these aims have actually been realized, would undoubtedly ,be admitted by even the most uaeting critic. Most of the chapters of the treatise contain a wealth of information, and are full of ~ " g g u t i r mfor ~ the s ~ e k e rof the truth. We fully agree with the editor that the divergent opinions in regard t o some concepts, held by different writas of the chapters, while confusing t o the beginner, are yet stimulating t o the advanced student in designating the avenues of research still open and the necessity of more fundamental eoneepts. Beside the authoritative treatment of most of the chapters, the treatke ha. a tremendou. lure in that it preseob the ~ u b i e c tof physical ehemistry as a growing sdenee. This fact is primarily aecrmnted for an the h a J i ~that thesublectmatter har heen preseoted by investigators actually working in the fields of which they wrote. one can almost feel the enthusiasm of the w r i t e r s s o m e of them become so enthused that they just "bubble over." The book i= inspiring from that standpoint. The treatise certainly is an improvement over other books where the writer merely decided to m i t e a book, not because he had any new conc e p t ~t o eontribute, but merely to see his name in print. T h e e "compilations" are dreadful hares, for a great deal of the time the writer d o e not have first-hand information of the subjects he in presenting and the hook, therefore, ha^ not any stimulating effect. Undovbtcdly the treatise is not of uniform o-
M. S. K n a a ~ s c ~
Makers of Modern Chemistry.
S m Pa-ULLA CHANDB* RTY. Chuekervertty, Chatterice and CO., Ltd.. C a l ~ f f a ;Robsthain and c o . , Lcndon. First edition, 1925. viii 110 pp. 13 itdl page picture% including 7 emincot chemists. 14 X 211/z cm.
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Thia hook contains sir historical lect~res; alro "The Story of the Discovery of Oxygen." The first five lectures were given. by invitation, in the University of Dacca, in which the author is professor of chemistry. Lecture I deals with the phlogiston theory and with the work of Jean Rey and John Mavow. I n the words of Mayow, who died in 1679, "Combuotion k due to that portion in the air which occvrs in saltpeter, which is alro helpful for respimtion." Lectures I1 and 111 deal largely with the work of Priestley, Scheelc. Liebig, and Davy. Lecture IV is devoted t o Davy's work on the elementary nature of chlorine, t o Paracelrus, Bovle. Berrehus. Liebiz. . . Berthollet.. Gav-Lurrae. . -. and others. Lecture V is devoted to John Dalton m d his contributions t o chemistm. Lecture VI deals with India's gifts to the world. Attention is culled t o the oon-corrosive quality d the metal in the iron pillar near Delhi. This pillar of pure iron is unrunted after exposure to the e1emmts for about fifteen centuries. I t is also shown that the Hindus knew the difference between sodium carbonate and potassium ear bonate 2000 years before the remarkable diecoveries of Jmeph Black. Indeed, they knew how to prepare caustic potash by treating slaked time with pot-ium carbonate. "This method, you will look for in vain in any European treatise briore the 16th or the 17th century." DI. Ray is an authority oo matters pertaining to the Indians of the past, having written a fwo-volume work entitled "A History of Hindu Chemistry." The "Makers of Modern Chemiatry"is beautifully and entertainingly written, and deserves a place in the library of all who are interested in the history and development of the science of chemistry. I t is very valuable t o get the viewpoint of an eminent teacher and scholar who is thoroughly familiar with the part and present intellectual life of India. WILLIAMF O S ~ P
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