VOL. 5, No. 8
RECENTBOOKS
The demand for a fifth edition of a book of this type, which is written for a comparatively small dass of readers, is evidence of the high esteem in which it is held. I n this edition each topic is brought up t o date, the new being added as a development of the old from which it grew so as to maintain the historical continuity. "By condensing some of the less important sections, and bv eliminatina.other portions, which have been superseded by subsequent research, the size of the present edition is only slightly larger than the last" This has been discriminatingly done. The book shows enormous reading, and a broad and sympathetic understanding of the vast field of organic chemistry. Being written by an eminent teacher it is a most valuable guide to the advanced student and is of great service to other teachers in bringing together in suggestive relation many scattered facts. E. EMMET REm
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devoted to a description of the instruments and apparatus appertaining to that field, together with numerical examples of the calculations connected with their use. Now there is little doubt but that the information of physical chemistry, which even the best Honour's candidates possess, can be set forth in a closely printed fivehundred page book, but the desirability of such a book as the medium of information, even if well written, is in the opinion of the reviewer decidedly open to question. However, granted the plan of the book is good, there are several features in the way it has been camed out that demand criticism. The presentation of fundamental theory is condensed almost t o the limit of intellegibility. By way of contrast some special topics are set forth in such a way as to impress the student unduly. Thus the old Thomson ring ,. theory of the atom is given four pages and. referred to as "one of the greatest mathematical achievements of the century" There is a notable lack of mention of American contributions to physical chemTheoretical and Experimental Physical istry, for example, there is no reference to Chemistry. JAMES CODRINGTON G. N. Lewis in the section on thermodyAND FUNKM A T T ~ WThe S, CROCEER namics. Polytechnic School, London* The MacDONALD H. ANDREWS millan Co., New York, 1928. Illus581 pp. 25 X 16 cm. Photometric Chemical Analysis. Vol. I, trated. viii Colorimetry. DR. JOHNH. YOE, Pro$6.00. fessor of Chemistry, University of VirThis text, according to the preface, is an ginia. John Wiley and Sons, Inc.. New . endeavor t o include in one volume what is York, 1928. xxi 4- 771 pp. 15 X 23 usually derived by the student from sevan. $8.50. eral sources in preparing for an Honour's Photometric analysis furnishes a conDegree or Scholarship examination in physical chemistry. There is no doubt venient, rapid, and accurate method for that the authors have in mind a high determining the concentration of various standard of excellence for such exami- materials in solution or suspension, parnations, because not only have they ticularly when the concentration is low. covered the fundamental branches of physi- The subject covers both colorimetry and cal chemistry, even to the more advanced nephelometry. For convenience, Dr. Yoe portions of each subject; for example, the has treated the subject under these two Nernst Heat Theorem in Thermodynam- heads. Vol. 11, to appear shortly, will ics: but they have also introduced chap- cover nephelometry. This book is a reference work for the ters on topics of rather isolated significance such as Tesla luminescence spec- advanced student and research worker in tra and Sugden's parachor. Moreover, a t chemistry, biology, pharmacy, and medileast a third of the space in each section is cine. No pains have been spared to make
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i t as complete and accurate as possible. Furthermore, it is practically a pioneer treatise in the field. One cannot glance through it without being amazed a t the progress made in this branch of analysis. Volume I is divided into six parts. Part I deals with general principles, apparatus, errors, directions for using colorimeters, etc. Part I1 covers inorganic analyses. Forty-two elements, radicals, and compounds are discussed in detail. part I11 covers organic analyses. Here one finds described the analyses of seventeen or more compounds by colorimetric methods. Part IV covers the big sub: jects of blood and urine analysis. Part V is a very comprehensive bibliography. Part VI contains several useful tables and both subject and author indices. Very full working directions, precautions to be observed, errors of the method, precision of the method where known, etc., are included in the discussion of each analysis. The book contains also a foreword by Philip Adolph Kober, well known for his work in photometric analysis and for the instruments bearing his name. The reviewer wisheSto congratulate Dr. Yoe on his splendid effort. +He has performed a service, not only labor-saving but decidedly inspirational, for all cbpmists. No one working along the lines mentioned can afford to he without this book. MALCOLM M. HARING
Physical and Chemical Constants and Some Mathematical Functions. G. W. C. K4-a AND T. H. LABY. Sixth edition. Longmans, Green and Co. Ltd., London and New York, 1928. 163 pp. 16.5 X 24.5 cm. $4.75. This well-known publication needs no introduction t o the chemical public. I t is an exceedinglply compact and well-chosen set of t3bles for uic right in the lnboratnry. Physical rlwmistr crpeciallg find it r e v helpful. In this edition, any persistent errors have been suppressed as far as they have been observed. the tables ha* been brought fairly well up to date, and a new table on "Thermal Conductivities of Gases" has been added. The reviewer would suggest including in the seventh edition a full-fledged five-place logarithm table, instead of the very brief .. table of five-figure logarithms found .
