11. ELECTRO~GNETISM AND TEE LYOPHILICC O L L O ~(THEIR S THEORYAND PTL~CTICE). TnEonETrca~PHYSICS,VOLUME OPTICS. W. Wilron. F.R.S... Hildred Carlile Professor of Martin H. Fischer, Professor of Physiology in the Uniwrsity Physics in the University of London, Bedford College. Meof Cincinnati, and Merion 0.Hooker, Research Associate in Physiology in the University of Cincinnati. Charles C. thuen and Co., Ltd., London; E. P. Dutton & Co., New York City, 1933. xi 315 pp. 78 Figs. 14 X 23 cm. $5.75. Thomas, Springkld, Ill., and Baltimore, Md., 1933. viii 246 pp. 84 Figs. 16 X 23.5cm. $4.50postpaid. This volume is the second of three written with the intention The book is divided into three parts, consisting of 170 pages on "of presenting physical theory as a coherent logical unity." the general nature of the lyophilic colloids. 15 pages on chemical The topics discussed are electromagnetic theory, the electron ontics.. and ohvsical ootics. Unapplications, and 48 pages an biological applications. A hihliog- theorv of matter.. eeometrical " raphy of 20 articles by the senior author and collaharators is fortunately thc treatment is nrithcr logicnl nor unified. The argument is generally loose and frequently spurious. appended. With the exception of two frapnmts mentioned in the section This is in no sense a general textbook, hut is frankly a summary of these previous articles. The tone of the hook is argumentative on electron theory, "microscopic" electrodynamics is entirely rather than explanatory. The general line of the argument is ignored. The fundamental quantities of the theory as dethat the transformation from a sol to a gel involves an inversion veloped are electric and magnetic charge density, specific inducof phases, this inversion being favored by a lowering of tem- tive capacity, and magnetic permeability. ( I t is not suggested perature or by an increase in the concentration of almost any that the magnetism of matter might be accounted for in terms of added electrolyte. The argument is supported by analogies be- the motion of intra-atomic electric charge.) In consequence, that tween the sects of these conditions on the lyophilic colloids part of the book which deals with electromagnetic theory is and on systems of two mutually soluble liquids, such as phenol valueless to the modern scientist. The section on electron theory presents the rudiments of a and water, and quinolin and water. The colloids discussed include soaps, gelatin, casein, silicic acid, heavy metal soaps, theory of dispersiq and of scattering by free electrons, and a greases, paints, and protoplasm. Many of the analogies seem calculation of the variation of the mass of an electron with rather far-fetched, such as that between lyophilic colloids and velmity which is not consistent with the rest of the theory. The formulas of geometrical optics are not deduced from those concentrated sulfuric acid. In the biological section the authors reiterate their previous of the electromagnetic theory. Their foundation is left unideas that a cell membrane is a figment of the imagination, and specified. The section an physical optics is without distinction. that the osmotic concept of the cell is totally inadequate. Water absorption by protoplasm is considered to he wholly a matter of imbibition by wlloids, by analogy with the behavior of fibrin in electrolyte solutions. The authors seem to be particularly THE SUB-ATOIIS. WiJ4ium Mayo Vcnablc, Consulting Engineer to Blaw-Knox Co., Pittsburgh, Pa. The Williams & Wilkins scornful of the work of those who have attempted to apply the Co.. Baltimore. 1933. viii 148 pp. 1 F i g . 15 X 23 cm. laws of physical chemistry to colloids or to protoplasm. The 52.00. mnclusions of these "dilute solution chemists" are characterized as "fantasies." The character of the hook is probably best described by the This book cannot be recommended to students in general on writer himself in the following quotation taken from his preface. account of its one-sided viewpoint. The facts reported may "Those who do not wish Newtonian mechanics to he successpossibly deserve the consideration of advanced workers who are ful may find this book annoying, the writer ignorant of 'estabtrying to formulate general theories of colloidal behavior. lished principles' of modern physics, and not qualified by trainDAVIDI. HITCHCOCK ing to consider, much less to discuss, such matters. Such men YALm UllIVBBSmY wish to start with the assumption that atoms are not composed Nsw H m s n , CONN. of particles, in the sense that Newton used the word, and the ASYMXETRIC SYNTRESIS AND A S Y ~ ~ E T RINDUCTION. IC St. word is understood by ordinary men. They wish something Andrews University Publication No. XXXVI. Polrick D. sacrosanct in the structure of matter which oulv the matheRitchic, B.Sc., Ph.D. Oxford University Press, New York matically initiated can profcss to understand. They are intolerant of the intellect of the urdimry man. The writer of this book City. 1933. ix 155 pp. 13.5 X 21.5 cm. $2.75. does nut deny his ignorance or boast of hii qualifications. The This hook is based on Dr. Ritehie's doctorate thesis, and con- claim of this work to a hearing is not based upon such considerasists of a fairly thorough review of the previous work on the tions. Regardless of their origin, the ideas here presented are above subjects, as well as a detailed account of the recent work entitled to the consideration of all leading physicists because of of McKenzie on the induced asymmetry of alpha ketonic esters. the injustice and folly of setting aside without adequate trial The subject is one of considerable interest, and the author's the ideas of the greatest mathematical physicist the world has presentation of his material is clear and well organized. yet seen, Isaac Newton, as inapplicable in the field which he The synthesis of optically active compounds from symmetrical himself most hoped that they would ultimately come to damimolecules, through the use of other optically active compounds nate." as directing agents, is a well-known type of reaction, although for Mr. Venahle apparently believes that Planck's theory of achieving enantiomorphic purity of yield in these reactions, energy quanta, Bohr's views on the origin of spectral lines, the chemist is still inferior to the enzyme. On the other hand, the Rutherford-Soddy theory of radioactive disintegration, and absolute asymmetric synthesis, through the use of physical Einstein's theory of relativity-to mention only the high spots directing agents such as circularly polarized light, has been the in the progress of physical science during the past thirty yearsgoal of many unsuccessful experiments, and has been achieved are all completely in error. If this he so, the reviewer would preonly in the recent work of Kuhn. The account of these re- fer to maintain the "error of his wavs" in the COmDanV of such searches should be of great interest to the average reader. distinguished leaders than attain salvation by trying to underIn his discussion of asymmetric induction, the author sheds stand the theory of "sub-atoms" which Mr. \'enable has evolvcd his impartiality and pleads a case. His arguments for the in- out of the physics of 1890. duced asymmetry of the carbouyl group, while probably not enWhile science has always welcomed criticism of its theories and tirely convincing t o opponents of the idea, are certainly worthy radical suggestions, to overcome difficulties in the interpretation of consideration. On the whole, the book should arouse interest of observations, it has been universally recognized that such in a field of research that promises to shed considerable light on criticism and new suggestions should stand the test of logical the problems of intramolecular structure. reasoning and should therefore be as consistent as possible both in themselves and with the facts which they seek t o "explain." While the author's purpose is to develop, on the basis of New~
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tonian mechanics, a theory of atomic structure which shall coordinate our present knowledge in this field, he has failed campletely, in the opinion of the reviewer, t o evolve any suggestions which merit serious consideration.
AIDS TO Q U A L I T A ~ V EINORGANIC ANALYSIS. R. G. Austin. B.Sc. (Lond.), A.I.C., F.R.M.S., University College, Southampton, and St. Thomas's Hospital Medical School. William Wood & Co., Baltimore. 1933. x 204 pp. 9 Figs. 10 X 16 cm. $1.50.
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The author's stated purpose in writing this book is to assist medical students as well as others in passing examinations. After a brief introductory chapter an outline for the analysis of a simple salt is given in Chapter 11. In Chapter 111the metals are divided into groups and in Chapters IV, V, and VI the author takes up reactions of basic radicals, reactions of acidic radicals. and reactions of some simple organic acids. I n Chapter VII ways and means far the preparation of the solution of an unknown for analysis are discussed. I n Chapters VIII and I X occur tables for analysis of both cations and anions, together with notes on their use, while Chapter X i s devoted t o the removal af the phosphate radical. I n Chapter X I several examples of processes of analysis af imaginary unknowns are given and in Chapter XI1 directions for the preparation of several inorganic compounds. This book is not likely to find any general adoption for class use for the usual qualitative course since the laboratory directions are not sufficiently detailed although there is much material that could be used by the beginner. The author is t o be complimented for not having used qualitative analysis for an excuse to teach physical chemistry. His purpose appears to be to teach the fundamental chemistry involved in the analysis of relatively simple unknowns and for this purpose the book should succeed wry well provided adequate detailed laboratory directions are available. The last chapter on "Preparations" seems t o he a sort of after-thought. The hook should he especially valuable t o beginning instructors in qualitative and t o graduate students preparing for examinations. It is a valuable little book t o add t o one's library. ST.Lome UNIY.S C ~ O OOFL M B D ~ U N B LYMANJ. WOOD ST.LOUTS. MISOO-
ELEMENTARY CHEMICAL TREORYn m PROBLEMS.M. N. S h h , M.Sc., Karnatak College. Second edition. The Karnatak Printing Works, Dhanvar, India, 1933. iii 143 pp. 8 Figs. 12 X 18 em. Re. I/-. This hook aims to present the usual elementary theories of chemistry in a manner easily understood by students preparing for the first science examination in the Indian universities. The fourteen chapter headings are: Laws of Chemical Combination; Gas Laws; Equivalent Weights; Gay-Lussac's Law of Combining Volumes of Gases; Molecular Weights; Atomic Weiphts; Determination of Chemical F o r m u l ~ ; Reacting Quantities from Chemical Equations; Electrolysis; Volumetric Analysis; Diffusion of Gases; Solubility; Quantitative Organic Analysis; and Additional Examples. The appendix contains tables of atomic weights and vapor pressures, data on freezing and boiling constants, followed by five pages of answers t o problems classified for each chapter and two pages of logarithms. Chapters contain in order: (1) clear and complete statements of the laws involved in the subject matter of the chapter, (2) a good explanation of the experimental basis for the law, (3) examples of the solution of problems based on the law, which lead t o its clarification, (4) and a well-selected list of numerical problems testing the student's grasp of the law. This four-fold method of teaching laws that are basic in the science of chemistry is a fine piece of pedagogical work. The laws set forth are treated so that students may acquire the ability to use them intelligently. This well-written book is timely and should accomplish its mission.
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M C K I ~ BH Y l o ~SCROOL WAsxINaron. D. C.
LOUISW. MATTERN
MANUELDE CKIMIE ANALYTIQUE QUALITATIVEM I N ~ A L E . P. Wcnger, Dacteur &s Sciences, Professeur ord. d e Chimie Analytique A l'Universit6 de Geneve e t G. Gutaeit. Docteur &s Sciences, Inghieur-chimiste diplBm6, Privat-Docent A 1'UniversitP de Genhe. Georg & Cie., S. A. Librairie de l'Universit6 Geneve. 1933. 496 pp. 19.5 X 12.5 cm. S. frs. 16.. According to the authors, the object of this book is not t o give a complete treatise on qualitative analysis but rather to select those reactions which best lend themselves to teaching. Just why a subject like qualitative analysis should be chosen for this method of treatment has never been verv clear t o the ~ - - re--viewer, and the authors have not been guided very strictly by this principle except in Part 111. Part I, pages 1-84, gives a rather thorough treatment of the theoretical considerations which in recent years have formed an important part of such textbooks. Part 11. pages 85-314, gives quite adequately the important reactions of the anions and cations and includes the so-called rare metals so that a careful study will give the student a fairly broad foundation of chemical facts bearing upon all the elements which would be likely t o present themselves for identification. Part 111, pages 315-78, is rather disappointing in that the tables describing the analytical procedure omit not only the metals which may still be classed as rare, but also those such as vanadium, molybdenum, titanium, gold, beryllium, and selenium, etc., which may often present themselves for identification in alloys and commercial products. I n the opinion of .the reviewer no textbook which claims t o treat the subject of qualitative analysis can a5ord t o omit these elements, unless its object is simply t o illustrate the analytical method. If this is its object there is no good reason for discussing all of the so-called common elements. As a matter of fact no hard and fixed distinction can be made between common and ra* elements, because many of the so-called rare elements are rapidly becoming less rare and more common. Part IV, pages 379484, takes up the use of organic reagents as applied to the "touch method" of qualitative analysis. This portion of the book seems t o the reviewer t o be of special value, for i t brings together a number of the tests by organic reagents for both common and rare elements. As this field is being developed more and more this seems most timely. YALBU W I Y B R S ~ P n n ~ pE. B n o w m ~ o NEWHAYBN.C O N N B ~ ~ C ~ >
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MISCELLANEOUS PUBLICATIONS ANNOTATED Bm~~ooOR RgsEnnca Srvnms, JUNE 1931 TO F E E R U ~ 1934. Y Institute of School Experimentation, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York. 15 pp. 15.3 X 22.3 cm. Paper. OF ITEMS OP CHEXUUL INPORWTHE RELATIVEIMPORTANCX TIONFOR GENERAL EDUCATION. Penna.State Studies in Education No. 6. Robert P. Wrav. Schwl of Education, Pennsylvania State College, state College, Pa. Reprinted from The Journal of Eq5crimentd Education for June, 1933. 49 pp. 21 X 27.2 cm. Paper-bound. Copies may be obtained from the author a t $1.00. HEALTHTIIROUGR THE AGES. C.-E. A . Winslow and Grace T. Hallock. Published by the School Health Bureau, Welfare Division. Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, New York City, 1933. 64 pp. 13.5 X 19.5 cm. Paper-bound. This booklet begins with the medicine men and the magic of the Stone Age and traces, through various historical periods, the story of how man has learned to protect not only his own body but that of his neighbor. The story ends on the note that many secrets about the human body and its protection against disease remain unsolved, hut that the scientific method can be depended upon to unveil new possibilities of health and efficiency for the people of the future. Furnished free of charge for use in junior and senior highschwl classes on the basis of ten copies to every hundred pupils.
