VOL.5, NO. 3
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resembling it, is the essential constituent element of all the fusible bodies, for all of them are converted into mercury an fusion," and describes the metals in a manner later employed by the mediaeval Avicennae de Congelatione et Congluti- Latins, which shows that Avicenna had natione Lapidum. Being sections of genuine knowledge of their chemistry. the Kit% Al-Shifs, the Latin and The author is strong in his criticism Arahic texts, edited with an English of the alchemists and plain in his statetranslation of the latter and with ment that the transmutation of the metals critical notes by E. J. HOLMYARD, is impossible. Metals can be dyed, hut M.A., M.Sc., F.I.C., M.R.A.S., head their essential nature remains unchanged. of the science department, Clifton He regards it ar impossible to eliminate or College, Bristol, and D. C. MANDE- t o impart the specific differences which ~ L E Clifton , College. Librairie Ori- distinpuish them. entaliste. Paul Guethner, Paris, 1927. Again we are grateful t o Holmyard for x 86 pp. 16.5 X 24.3 cm. 15 s. giving us the benefit of his knowledge of I n this book the authors settle a question Arabic. TENNBYL. DAVIS which has for some time agitated students
on the subject in a form which is easily accessible. ROBERTD. COGHILL
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of the history of mediaeval science. They show that the liber de minerdihlrs Arisfotelis (Aristotle's book on minerals) or less satisfac"is a translation-more tory and not always c o m p l e t w f passages occurring in Avicenna's m a t work The Book of the Remedy." A Latin translation from this Arahic work of Avicenna in the Middle Ages became combined with a Latin translation from the Greek of Aristotle's "Meteoro1ogy"and the whole soon passed as the work of Aristotle. The present hook includes a mediaeval Latin version of that part of the work which was falsely ascribed t o Aristotle, the Arahic text of the same from the Kiiab al-Shife of ibn Sina (Avicenna), and an English translation of the Arahic text. The chapters from the Shif%'which are here a t issue were written after 1021 A.D. and probably before 1023. The first, on the formation of stones, rocks, and mountains, is remarkable for its accurate insight into geological phenomena. The second, on the formation of minerals, is important to students of the history of chemistry, for i t sets forth Avicenna's later and maturer views on alchemy. It contains a clear exposition of the sulfurmercury doctrine of the omposition of the metals-"that mercury, or something
Quantitative Chemical Analysis. CHARLESM. ALLEN. M.A., head of department of chemistry, Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, N. Y. Second edition. John Wiley and Sons, N. Y. (Wiley Technical Series Loose-Leaf Laboratory Manual, J. M. Jameson, 86 pp. 6 figures. Editor), 1927. ii 20.5 X 26.25 cm. $1.50 net.
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This manual contains, first, a discussion of the usual general processes of Gravimetric Analysis, such as weighing, precipitation, washing, and ignition. Following this are representative gravimetric determinations: namely, complete analyses of barium chloride, magnesium sulfate, potash alum, and limestone. Under Volumetric Anslysis is fust given a discussion of general processes, volumetric measurements, standard and normal solutions and indicators. The volumetric analyses include standard acid and base, the normal acidimetric measurements, hardness of water, oxidation methods with dlchromate and permanganate, chlorine in bleach, "oxidizing power" of pyrolusite, and a few iodometric measurements. Following each determination is a list of questions and problems "designed to prevent mere mechan-
ical performance in following the directions." The methods are, in general, such as are usually covered in elementary analytical work, and the details of the procedures are accurate. I n only one or two cases are there likely t o be any criticisms. For example, the method used in determining non-carbonate hardness of water should be replaced by the better "soda reagent" method. Also the results would better be stated as "parts per million" instead of "parts per 100,000." The weakest feature ahout the book is the absence of modem analytical theory. It does seem that one scarcely has the right to deny a student the real explanation of all the analytical processes, so far as such explanation is possible. Quantitative analysis offers a splendid opportunity t o drive home the value and sipnificance of the wonderful equilibrium relations found in precipitation and solution, in the color changes of indicators, and in axidation-reduction reactions. The reviewer is also a t a loss t o h o w just why the hook is constructed in loose-leaf form. It hardly seems possible t o insert enough extra sheets t o hold the necessary notes. ete. I n general, the book is good and, without a doubt, will give a student good training in beginning quantitative analysis. W. H. CHAPIN Physical Chemistrg and Biophysics for Students of Biology and Medicine. M A ~ STEEL. W Ph.D., Professor of Biological Chemistry. The Long Island College Hospital. John Wiley & Sons, I n c , New York and London, 372 pp. 38 illustrations. 1928. x 15 X 23 cm. Cloth, $4.00 net.
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The author has selected from the large mass of physico-chemical data those which are most closely allied to biological Drocesses. Knowledge of these fundamentals is essential to a better understanding of the physiology of animals and
plants. Although the book is written primarily for the medical student it will be equally serviceable t o students of other hiological sciences. A glance through the table of contents clearly shows the author's care in the selection of subject-matter. Fifty-eight pages of the book are devoted to the nature and structure of matter. Other topics considered are: general properties of matter; energy transformations in living matter; general nature of solutions; water, the greatest solvent; diffusion and osmotic pressure; the nature and behavior of electrolytes in solution; chemical equilibrium and the law of mass action; measurement of hydrogen-ion concentration; the colloidal state of matter; catalysis and velocity of chemical reactions; dynamical physical chemistry of the cell. More space (86 pages) is giwn t o the discussion of colloids than to any of the other topics. Loeb's researches an proteins and the Donnan membrane equilibrium are included in this chapter. Both an author and a subject index are given. The main discussions are developed historically. The student is led almost unconscioudy t o the modern viewpoints by a series of gradual and natural steps. Numerous and lengthy quotations appear in the body of the text. A book thus written has the advantage of placing the responsibility of statements on the authors quoted and in some cases the disadvantage of subjecting the reader to abrupt changes in style. A few defects have been noted. For example, figure 2 could be improved and made t o a w e with its description in the text. The subject of osmotic pressure is always an invitation for an argument especially when a statement (p. 131) like the following is giwn as a fact: "What is determined in the actual measurement of osmotic pressure is the force whereby the solute attempts t o enter the solvent through a semi-permeable membrane." This is the diffusion pressure of the solute. Generally speaking, this confusion of
