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JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL EDUCATION
e. g.. hr observed that lightning shattered wood by "forcibly separating its fibers," then why should not meat, for the same reason, be more tender if the animal be killed by rlectricity? The letters are grouped under three headings: "Practical Schemes and Suggestions." "Divers Experiments and Ohservations." and "Scientific Deductions and Conjectures." They are short, only three heing over six pages in length, but each contains some worth-while thought. The simple and direct manner in which he makes his observations in these Letters gives them the c h a m of personality which is absent from formal writings. The book is well printed in bold, clear type and is most attractive, both in appearance and content. OWENL. SHINN
MARCH,19'32
tions of a successful p u t ; to keep pace with present tendencies toward the mathemathical viewpoint without driving away students who are inadequately prepared; . ~. and t o sift out the permanent from the trivial are the privileges and responsibilities of this revision." T o make room for new material and keep the book within bounds the author has found it necessary to delete portions appearing in the fourth edition. This process constitutes a considerable part of the revision of the earlier chapten. The task of choosing and rejecting seems t o have been done with discriminating care. In the later chapters the junior author has exercised his "privilege and responsibility" with greater boldness and freedom and has written with an enthusiasm born of familiarity with his subject UNlvnasrrY ow PBNNSYLVANI* and his genius as a teacher, and has PAILIIDBI.PAIA, PENNA. shown a commendable sense of balance and proportion. The conventions of Outlines of Theoretical Chemistry. FRED- Lewis and Randall have been introduced ERICK H. GETMAN,Ph.D., formerly throughout the book, including, happily, Associate Professor of Chemistry in the chapter on themochemistry. Many Bryn Mawr College, and FARRINcToN new problems with some answers follow DAN~ELS, Ph.D., Professor of Chemistry, each chapter. The book is decidedly University of Wisconsin. Fifth edi- more advanced and difficult than previous tion, John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New editions. G43 pp. 180 York City, 1931. ix The reviewer iinds little of major imFigs. 15 X 23 em. 53.75. portance t o criticize. Perhaps the least To friends of earlier editions a casual useful of the additions is the chapter on thumbing of the pages of this revised "Chemical Thermodynamics," not be"Getman" will reveal that Dr. Daniels cause of lack of importance but because has closely adhered t o the original organi- the author has undertaken entirely too zation and readable presentation of ma- much. He has, however, thoughtfully terial, and they will lay the volume aside forestalled adverse criticism by a footnote with a feeling of reassurance that i t is relative t o this chapter. One could wish their old friend still. A more critical that in the revision the author could have inspection, particularly of the last half found room for more such historical introof the book, will disclose the touch of a ductions as the opening of chapter twelve, new, though sympathetic hand. No relating say, t o conduction of electrolytes, chapter but has undergone same change, the theory of electrolytic dissociation, many are entirely rewritten. Much new themochemistry, or the periodic table, material has been introduced and a dis- t o cite a few examples. tinctly modern flavor permeates the hook. Attention may be called t o the followI n the junior author's preface thefollow- ing minor nitidsms far the sake of subseing felicitous paragraph appears: "To quent editions. Page 24; the t e m "heat introduce recent advances without offend- content" is used in a misleading sense and is inconsistent with the use of the same ing old friends who cherish the founda-
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term on page 113, for example. Page 56; the constants of equations 28 and 29 are different, contrary t o the statement a t the bottom of the page. Page 37; the derivation of van der Waal's equation of state should be clarified. Attention should be called t o the fact that the constants a and 6 are dependent on temperature. Page 85, Problem 2 ; i t would be simpler to refer t o this crystal as simple cubic. Page 96; the very simple derivations of the equations for specific rotatory power are entirely obscured. Page 123, line four from the bottom; the word "absorbed" should he replaced by the word "converted." Page 134; in the reviewer's opinion the Principle of Le Chatelier deserves far more emphasis than is here accorded it. Page 249; the eaample given is too involved t o have pedagogical value. Page 252, line four; there is an unfortunate use of the term "differential heat of solution." Page 568; Moseley used a crystal of potassium ferrocyanide. A crystal of sodium chloride was used merely for calibration. Page 601, middle of page; the phrase "of solid elements" should follow the word "crystal." I n the opinion of the reviewer Dr Daniels has accomplished in a brilliant manner what he set out t o do, and this edition of this popular textbook is now without a rival It merits a cordial receotion. F. L. SHINN umvens1rv ox' oaeooll EVDHNB, OBBOON
Electrochemistry. Prmciples and Practhe. C. J. BROCKMAN, Associate Professor of Chemistr).. University of Inc., Georgia. D. Van New York City, xi + 348 pp. 47 Figs. 14.5 X 22 cm. 84.00. The title of the book given on the cover is likely t o be misleading. From the title and the size of the hook one gets the idea i t is a treatment of fundamental principles only. The title on the title page, "Electrochemistry. Principles and Practice," is more enlightening.
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The discussion of fundamental principles is confined t o the first forty pages; this includes also a brief historical treatment. A description of the preparation of several inorganic and same organic compounds by the electrolysis of solutions is given about forty pages. The electrometallurgy from solutions of copper, nickel, zinc, chromium, lead, tin, iron, cadmium. cobalt, silver, gold, and alloys is covered in the next one hundred ten pages. The whole field of alkali. chlorine, hypochlorite, and chlorate is confined t o twenty-five pages. A few pages are given to each of the topics, "the production of hydrogen and oxygen," "the electrochemistry of gases," and "the chemical production of electricity." One chapter is devoted t o the production from fused electrolytes of aluminum, magnesium, sodium, calcium, cerium, and beryllium. The last thirty-six pages are given over t o furnaces and electrothermal processes. The reviewer approves this very limited treatment of electric furnaces; the only excuse for ineluding this topic a t all in a book on electrochemistry is that electrical energy rather than some other form is converted into heat, and from this point of view every housewife who uses an electric stove should be considered an electrochemist. The index is very complete, with many cross references. The author states, "It is the aim of this book to point out the mdre important applications of the electric current in the manifold phases of chemical manufacture, . , has been made ~
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to present eledroehemistry in not too technical a manner so that it will interest the chemist, the plant manager, the manufacturer, and the fringe of business men who are not necessarily adepts vith electrochemical manipulations; yet it is hoped that the scientific value of the work will not be lost t o the virtuosi of electrochemistry." If considered from the point of view of these objectives. the book is well done. A sufficient amount of the historical, theoretical, and
