c h i d y with added colors; it would seem desirable to have inc l w l ~ dmoreinformation on natural plant pigmer11.i. I n spire of thc f x t that Volume I i, large. 801 pages, rxclu,ire of rudex, one is i n l p r c , 4 with rile a r e t ditlimltv ( ~ e r h a p .i m possibility) of treating fully betwe& t h e covers bf one book so manv and such diverse scientific and technoloeical subiects. On rhr othcr hand, the authors have, 011 the whole, done well with thcir suhjects in hpite of the limitations on apace. Voluntci I and I1 4 w u l d be used in conjunction, since one supplement*the other. Teachers of food courses in home economics and food technology. as bell as chemists in food control and food research, will find much useful information in Volume I. While bibliographies are not extensive, most of t h e references cited are well selected and useful. Perhaps the editor in the next edition will decide t o break up Volumes I and I1 into not less than four volumes, or eventually bring out a five-foot shelf of many valumes, each devoted to asingleindustry or foodproduct. W. V. CRUESS U N Z V B R SL*. ~ YCA~.ROXNI& BBREBLBY, CALIPOBNIA
The various chapters of Volume I1 have been prepared by 27 collaborators, some of whom are well known for their previous contributions in the varied field of food technology. Whereas t h e first volume dealt largelv with the fundamental aspects of the subject, this volume is concerned with the applicat& of these fundamentals to omduction of foods and food oroducts. Volume I1 is 4ividr.d inro four secrions, covering unit operations nnd pruvr%rs, mainrennnce of sanitary and qunlrty control of food produc.ts, the prirncipal methods of presmmg foods, and production methods for the principal foods. T&e general impression of the volume is somewhat disappoiuting. Several of the chapters are condensations of readily availahle existing literature. Several, also, lack any and others lack adequate reference citations. Duplications, although probably unavoidable. are more numerous tban warranted. and in manv caws 31 variance. Thc few factual errors nntcd have ariicn where the cullnborator ha, strayed from his f i ~ l dof study when attempting a more complete coverage of his subject. Although the difficulty of treating such a diversity of subject matter is recognized, it seems that the volume would profit by addition of some omitted topics. For example, vinegar, which is recognized as one of the important condiment-preswative compounds, is not discussed from the standpoint of technology or production, although there are some 13 references t o its use throughout t h e volume. Other subjects inadequately covered a r a t h e utilization and disposal of waste products. Nonetheless, it is felt the volume makes readily available much information for the novice, teacher, and investigator alike. I n spite of the criticisms listed, the volume brings together for ready reference much of the subject matter comprising food technology. For the most part, t h e volume and its companion accomplishes its objective, that of fulfilling "a need in t h e literature of the field." REESE H. VAUGHN GEO. L. MARSH ~~~
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UNIVERSITY OF C ~ L R O X M A Bsaxa~suC , ALI~~N~A
ORGANIC SYNTHESES.Volume 24. Nathan L. Drake, Editor-inChief. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, 1944. v 119 pp. 14.5 X 23.5 cm. $2.00. This annual publication gives the equations for the reactions. procedures with accompanying notes, and other methods of preparation for 37 different organic compounds, with procedures checked or verified by competent referees. The subject index comprises all material from Volume 20 through 24 of the series, the Collective Volumes 1 and 2 having included all previous preparations. Methods for the preparation of the following organic compounds are included: acenaphthenequinone, aminoacetal, 4-
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amino-2.6-dimethylpyrimidine, dl-a-amino-a-phenylpropianic acid, 4-amino-1,2,4-triazole, beneoyl cyanide, benzoylformic acid, tert-butyl acetate, o-chlorobromobenzene, o-chloroisonitrosoacetophenone, 2-chlorolepidine, l-chloromethylnaphthalene, conmarilic acid, cyclopropanecarboxylic acid, nor-desoxycholic acid, 3.12-diacetoxy-bisnor-cholanyldiphenyl~ y-di-n-butylaminoprop$lamine, 2.6-dichloroaniline and 2&dibromoaniIine, dipbenyldiazomethane, ethyl diazoacetate, ethyl hydrazinecarboxylate and diaminohiuret, ethyl N-tricarboxylate, glyoxal bisulfite, 4(5)-hydroxymethylimidawle hydrochloride, 4-methylcarbostyril, 4-methylcoumarin, methyl pyruvate, o-nitrobenzaldehvde. - . .b-nitrobenzvl acetate. 4-nitrobenzvl alcohol. ohenvl-methylgiycidic ester, 1-phenyln&phthalene,a-phenylpropionaldehyde, selenophenol, sorbic acid, undecyl isocyanate, and vinylacetic acid. This series of annual volumes is too well known to require further description or recommendation. They have established themselves as a truly American institution and are on the "must" list of every organic chemist and technical library. I t is extremelv . rratifvinr - . to observe that the oublishers.. in Soite of many wartime resrricrions, hare again produced a volume equal in appearance, mawrials, and ~vorkrnanshipto the formcr men>hers of rhir series. RALPHE. D I I X H I R
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SOLVENTS.Thos. H. Durrans, Director of the Research Laboratories of A. Boake, Roberts & Co., Ltd., London. (Volume Four of a series of monographs on applied chemistry under the editorshio of E. Howard Tri4b.i, Fifth Edition. Revised and enlarged. D. Van Nostrand Company. Inc.. New York. 1944. xii 202pp. 13.5 X 21.5cm. $6:00. This is a technical monograph, more specifically, "Lacquer Solvents." Evidence of its value is certainly t o be found in the facts, first, that it is here in its fifth edition, and second, that some are apparently willing t o pay such a high price for less than 200 pages af detailed information. Not only are many solvent liquids described and characterized in detail, but there are several general chapters on plasticizing solvents, solvent balance, vapor pressure and evaporation, inflammability, and toxicity. The casual reader will a t least beinterested in the editorial preface, from which the following excellent comment is quoted: "It is interesting a t times to speculate upon what aspects of our civilization the future historian will select as the most characteristic of our time. Scientific discoveries and their application t o human welfare, we may be sure, will find a place; and to these many will add the growth of our sense of 'values.' The value of new work in science varies greatly: the golden grain is always accomoanied bv chaff. and there is no oreciaus ore without country rock. Owing to thc ~liftirulryof niicwng the rnluc of work at the time of its iroductim, w e find that our jcimtiilc periodicals stand in danger of being swamped by the mass of second- and third-rate material that is thought t o be worth publishing, but which posterity will decree would have been better left in manuscript form. It is the first duty of the monograph writer to estimate the value. either actual or potential, of recent work upon the subject of which he writes: he must pick out the plums t o save others from the indigestion t h a t follows eating the whole pie. Further, in addition to being accurate, his work must be presented in a form that is both assimilable and attractive; in other words. he must show t h a t lucid exposition can be achieved by the use of few words, if they are rightly chosen, and that attractive presentation is attained rather by clear thinking tban by superficial d i r play."
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MAGNESI~M: ITS P R ~ D ~ C T I O N USE. Em& V. Pannell. AND Pitman Publishing Corporation, New York, 1944. ix 137 pp. 45 figs. 22 tables. . 13.6 X 21.5 cm. $4.00.
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and their industrial applications
