RECENT BOOKS F U N D ~ N T AOP L SFIBRESIRUCTURE. W. T. Asfbury, University of Leeds. Oxford University Press, New York City. 1933. ix 187 pp. 62Figs. 14 X 21.5cm. $3.00.
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Imagine a book of six lectures delivered t o a group of British textile workers, so simple in its language and so striking and original in its analogies that a sixteen yesr-old American high-school boy gets a "kick" out of it, yet so scientificallyexact and so full of real information that his college professor father gets an equally big "kick" from reading it. Such a book is "Fundamentals of Fibre Structure!' The author, who was one of Sir William Bragg's pupils, is Lecturer in Textile Physics and Director of the Textile Physics Research Laboratory of the University of Leeds. The fundaThe six chapters in this book are entitled-"I. mental nature of matter and radiation; 11, The invisible fibres of the world of molecules; 111, How atoms and molecules make patterns in space; IV, An X-ray view of the inside of a textile fibre; V. The fundamental structural difference between wool and other fibres; VI, Some i side formation about the properties of the wool fibre." The first chapter alone should be worth the price of the whole baok to any high-school teacher of physics. chemistry, general science, or home economics. Not only should every such teacher own a personal copy, but also there should be a copy in every high-school library. The nature of the hook is such. however. that its usefulness is not limited to h i ~ h schools. The reviewer has alrtady recommended it privately to srvcral of his colleagues who have collrgc classes in frrqhmnn vhrmistry and in tcsttle chemistry with the belirf that thry will enjoy it ;LS much as he bas done. If you want to get really intimately acquainted with atoms and molecules so that their chemical formulas are as vivid to You as the kindergarten "C-A-T spells cat," so that the forces of chemical combination seem as natural as buttons on a vest, so that the slipperiness of graphite reminds you of slipping on the front hall rug; if you want to appreciate clearly in a noo-mathematical way how the arrangements of molecules in fibers are investigated by X-ray methods; if you want to know the real difference between wool and other textile fibers; if you want t o learn why the passage of water through a textile fiber resembles the straining of a crowd of people through the narrow winding streets of an old-world town; then yon cannot afford t o be without this book. The price per page is high-probably higher than is warranted by the cost of publication, but the book is really worth it. Pewsnv~m Srnre ~ Co~soz WHEELERP. DAWY ~~
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have been well selected as new and challenging problems for the student with high-school experience. Two introductory exercises are followed by two inorganic preparations and these by such problems as the determination of transition temperatures, factors affectinethe rate of chemical reaction. solubilitv..electrolvsis, molerulsr and atomic weights, hydrwtvid., ,,olloids, hydrolysis, cqu~libriurnin solut~on,studies of the i d t s , separation of metal ions into analytical gruupf, and derwatives of the hydrocarbons. Quantitative experiments are introduced early with a view to developing habits of careful manipulation. A considerable amount of qualitative work is included in Section I, but the authors exnlain that this mav be omitted for students who are latrr t o take a course in qualttative analysis. The mtlwrs' purpose with r q n d to Section I1 is not entirely clear. Qtlaliwtwc analyiic is u,ually offered as n scparate course following general chcmistry, and accompanied by rather thorough wurk in the theorirsof sulution and ionization, solubility and precipitatiun. e~uilibrium,etc Section I1 contains 7:3 pages of elementary work-in qualitative analysis apparently intended for the first-year student. The reviewer feels t h a t this is too much qualitative work to be followed by a standard course in qualitative analysis and that i t is too elementam to meet the requirements in qualitative analysis for technical students. This amount and character of work would probably be well suited for those students who are rather non-technical or who are primarilv interested in certain engineering courses where i t is felt that an introductory or survey course in qualitative analysis is sufficient. However, the book as a whole presents more work than can be accomplished in one year and this offers excellent opportunity for selection and elimination by way of adaptation to the needs of particular courses. The alternate pages are left blank to provide space for student's notes, which fact gives the book twice its necessary size and prevents its second-hand use. The arrangement of the book is well planned and the exercises are well written. Errors noted are few and insignificant. The type and form of exercise presented are well calculated to engage the interest and call out the best &ort of the slightly experienced student for whom the manual is designed.
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THE BOOKOF META New York City. 23.5 cm. $4.00 net.
Dondd Wdhclm. Harper & Bros., 5 Photos. 15.5 X
LABORATORY MANUAL TO A C C O M (BRINXLBY'S) P~ PRJNCIPLES The author presents a delightfully picturesque description of oa GENERALC m a a r s m ~ . Erwin B. Kclsey and Harold G . the metallurgy of the important commercial metals against a Dietrich, Assistant Professors in Chemistry, Yale University. background of glamour and color. Using words as his medium Revised edition. The Macmillan Co., New York City, 1933. and paper as his canvas, he paints with the rare skill of an artist x 133 73 pp. 15 Figs. 14.5 X 21.5 cm. $1.50. a brilliant and scintillating picture of many metallurgical procThis manual is presented as a revision of the book of the same esses. The hook is distinctly non-technical, no chemical formula nor title by Brinkley and Kelsey, published in 1926. The preface makes no reference to the former edition, however, and the equation hcing included, and written distinctly for the Laymm; volumc i.i, as a matter of fact, much more closely related to the the result of many questions asked of the author by his t w o "1.aboratory hlanual to Accompany (Ilrinklcy's) Introductow young sons. Each introductory chapter contains a complete General Chcmicuv" bv the samc author-. ~ublishedin 1932, and history of the metallurgp of the element under consideration, reviewed in the j. CHBM. EDUC.,9, 20'05(No".. 1932). The followed bv a detailed descrirrtion of the mechanical side of the forty-seven exercises in general chemistry and inorganic prepara- modern pradice and finally complete presentation of its manitions of the first edition give place in Section I of the revised fold uses. Moreover, each chapter has been reviewed and apedition to thirty-one exercises, while Section 11, devoted to proved for publication by one or more competent and diselementary qualitative analysis, is practically identical, page for tinguished "authorities" in each field, so that the information page, with the corresponding section of the recent introductory therein contained is "authentic." Most of the physical chemical explanations and interpretations are written by such authorities, manual. I n harmony with the text which i t is designed to accompany, or are presented in the form of interviews with these distinthe new manual presupposes a secondary-school course in guished gentlemen. The book is pleasingly set up and the type chemistry. Accordingly, the simpler exercises, such as the is large and easily readable. The first third of the book deals with iron and its various studies of oxygen and hydrogen, the gas laws, composition of water, and the like are omitted. The exercises presented alloys. Starting with a fascinating description of open-pit min-
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ing, we follow the ore through its highly mechanized course t o the blast furnace. Shaft mining is also described in connection with coal for the production of coke for iron smelting. The manufacture of wrought iron by the venerable puddling process and the more recent "Aston" process is considered in some detail. Following these, we learn about cast irons. malleableiron, and the various and sundry steels. The operation of the Bessemer converter, the open-hearth and electric furnaces are vividly presented. The final chapter of this group deals largely with alloy steels and includes an interesting bit of economic history-the introduction of chrome-vanadium steel into the manufacture of lighter and stronger automobiles by Henry Ford. A fine description of the effect of the more important alloying elements on the properties of iron concludes this chapter. Following the story of iron, the author introduces us t o the most recent and lightest of all commercial metals, aluminum-the metal from common clay-which defied all attempts to persuade i t t o leave its humble birthplace until induced to do so, almost simultaneously by two young men-Hall and Heroult. Then comes copper, with an interesting description of the important contributions of Paul Revere t o its metallurgy. Now follows b r a s s u s e d by King Solomon in his t e m p l e t h e n ancient and honorable bronze, usually associated with statuary but possessing a multitude of uses. I n order follow nickel, the metal so di5cult t o isolate that i t was named after "Old Nick"; "bluish-white" zinc; "slow-solid" lead; tin-the whitestof m e t a l s " t h e Greeks called i t H e r m e s yet we ungraciously heave our tin cans.. .into ugly dumps"; aristocratic gold-the metal for which men die; and now silverthe most beautiful of metals-used in enormous quantities for coinage in the most densely populated countries on e a r t h a n d so important t o photography and the movies. Finally, platinum and its 6rst c o u s i n s t h e elements of the chemists: palladium, iridium, rhodium, osmium, and ruthenium concludes this most interesting work. This book should be especially stimulating t o the layman and t o beginners in chemistry as it makes a strong appeal t o the romantic and imaginative side of chemistry and cannot fail t o promote an appreciation of the problems that have confronted the chemists and the manner in which they have been solved. For the chemist, its value lies chiefly in the cloak of glamour in which the author envelops many grimy processes that seem drab and dull through long association. I n brief, the book might be considered a glorification of metallurw. and r i ~ h t l vdeserved a t that.
intelligible view of an enormous amount of experimental work within the compass of a volume of moderate size. Professor Sidgwick is so well known that i t is needless to say that he has done his work with characteristic thoroughness and remarkable breadth of information. One of the most impressive features of the book is the great variety of evidence which is brought t o bear on such difficult problems as the details of molecular structure. Professor Sidgwick's alertness in appropriating the experimental results yielded by the newer physical methods should be an insniration to manv of the vouneer eeneration. Therc arc a few minor rrrurswhichwill heohvious to the rradvr. I n x iew in.tar.cw one m:ly bc dijpvsrd to di93pre~with P r ~ f r ~ s o r SiJ-ick's viee,s-fur examplc, the assumed ?co\olmce of hydrogen, or the use of sharp changes in properties in a series of compounds as a proof of a change from ionic t o covalent linkage. These are still debatable subjects, however, and one can only admire the ingenuity and fairness of the author in his arguments. The subjects treated in the book have been so largely developed in the past few years that the great accumulation of valuable results is well known only to those who have followed the work closely. For that reason this summary will prove highly valuable to teachers, as well as to chemists generally. UNIWRSITY OF B m ~ m G. H. CARTLEDGE BuatiU.0. Nsw YosK
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INORGANIC COLLOIDCHEMISTRY. VOL. I. THE C H E ~ C A L ELEMENTS.Harry Boycr Weiscr, Rice Institute. Houston,
Texas. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.. New York City, 1933. xi 389 pp. $4.50 net. This is the &st volume of a series dealing with inorganic colloid chemistry to be written by Dr. Weiser. The colloidal elements have been studied and written up in scattered places but never before has a unified presentation been offered. General methods of preparation are followed by separate divisions on metals and non-metals in colloidal farm. Theory and practice are both well taught. It is right that a considerable section on catalysts is included for contact catalysis is a surface matter. The reviewer particularly enjoyed the excellent section on activated carbon and its use as an adsorbent. The author's own notable work on colloidal sulfur again attracts attention but, for that matter, the entire volume is most interesting t o a colloid chemist. Other chemists will 6nd i t useful as a reference book, and very easily read. Dr. Weiser deserves our thanks for a splendid work already well begun. We predict a cordial reception for the volumes to follow. The chapters are: Colloidal Gold, Colloidal Silver, Copper and Mercury, Non-noble Metals of the First and Second Groups, SOME PHYsrcAL PROPERTIES OP THE COVALENT LINK IN CAEMIS- Metals of the Third t o Seventh Group, Metals of the Eighth TRY. The George Fisher Baker Non-Resident Lectureship in Group, Adsorption of Gases by Metals, Colloidal Metals as Chemistry a t Cornell University. Nevil Vincent Sidgwick, Contact Catalysts, Colloidal Carbon, Sulfur. Selenium and Fellow of Lincoln College and University Reader in Chemistry, Tellurium, Iodine. Oxford. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, New Y a k , 1933. O a e n ~ mCOLLBGE H ~ R N. Y HOLMES 249 . on. 0 ~ s a L . r Oslo ~. . . 15.5 .X. 23.5 em. S2.00. I n this book Professor Sidgwick has presented the basis of the POPULAR SCIENCE TALKS. VOL.X. I w r Grifith, editor. Publectures which he eave a t Carnell Universitv in 1931. The sublished by the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science, jcct matter has ~ C L I I brought down to a more recent date, howunder the auspices of the American Journal of Pharmacy, cvrr, hy the irwlusion of prrtincnt researcher that wcrc published Philadelphia, Pa.. 1933. 307 pp. 15 X 23 cm. $1.00. up to the summer of 1932, with a feu- of w e n Inter datc. ' T h e The tenth volume of this well-known series contains: bookisanattempt to setout themethodsof measurement of some of the more important properties of non-ionized links, and to "Triumphs of Medicine," by Wilner Krwen discuss the results so far obtained.'' After an introductory "The History and Romance of Bread," by Charles H . L a W d lecture on "The Relation of Physics t o Chemistry" the chapters "Photons and Electrons," by George Rosengavfan are: Atomic Cohesion; Electrovalence and Covalence: Dimen- "The Modern Arsenic Hazard." by J . W . Sturmn sions of Covalent Links; Heats of Formation of Covalent Links; "Yeast-In Welfare and Industry," by Arno Viehoever Electrical Dipole Moments; and Stereochemistry. "Aqua Philadelphica," by Ivor Grifith Under each subject the available experimental weapons are "Useful Milk Products and Milk Preparations," by Louis presented in sufficient detail t o show their value and limitations, Gershenfeld but without exhaustive description. Professor Sidgwick shows "Gold-A King and a Savant," by Freeman P . Stroup excellent discrimination in this respect. The accounts are "Insect Friends and Foes," by Marin S. Dunn accompanied throughout with copious references t o the original "ColloidsA Stam about Particles." bv - Arthur Osol literature: the chanter on diode moments. for examole. has over "Vitamins." bv ~ & z t i C. o Wood. ~ r . 140 footnotes, nearly all of which are literature citations. By "copperL~&'s First Useful ~ e t a l , "by C. C. Pines this means the author has been able to present a correlated and "Manufactured Ice Cream." by David Wilbur Horn ~~
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