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DECEMBER, 1951 text is written. The methods of determining atomic weights is a in point. However, there is sufficient use of mathematics and its methods t o give the students an appreciation of its importance in chemistry and practice in its use. The review questions a t the end of each chapter contain some problems. Incidentally, the practical nature of these questions should appeal t o the instructor. A list of "New Terms" which accompanies these questions should be valuable to both teacher and student. The relatively hrief organic chemistry section ia sufficient to introduce the student t o the more important biochemistry division. The chpmistry of the major compounds of foods (proteins, carbohydrates, and fats) and their fate in digestion, metaholism, and excretion is well and concisely covered. The textile portion discusses various kinds of fibers and presents a brief treatment of dyeing, laundering, and cleaning textiles. This material should interest all students in this day of synthetio as well as natural fabrics. In conclusion, the author has done a splendid piece of work which should meet with wide approval from the group for which the book has been writtm. The conciseness and clarity of its style alone should win it favor. Its applications are e~cellent. ease
HELEN I. M I N E S
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RADIOISOTOPES: INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS
G. H. Guest, Senior Scientific Officer, Health Radiation Section, Industrial Health Division, Dept. of National Health and Welfare, Ottawa. Canada. Pitman Publishing Corp., Toronto and New York, 1951. xv 185 pp. 6 5 figs. 9 tables. 15 X 22.5 cm. $4.50.
of contention were noted: (1) the reviewer does not feel that painted concrete floors are adequate far a radioisotope laboratory as is suggested on page 142; (2) on,pa- 33, the author neglecta to mention consideration of the tvne .. of radiation (a. . . 8.. or r )in deciding whether an isotope would he of use in a metallurgical problem. The reviewer commends the use of the term "autoradiography" rather than the "radioautography" that is used in this country. In general the book is a useful one and is recommended. LOUIS G. STANG. JR.
BROOIHAYEN NATIONAL LABORATORI UPTON.1.010 ISSAND,NEW Yon.
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QUANTITATIVE ORGANIC MICROANALYSIS
Based on the methods of Fritz Pregl. Fifth English edition. Revised and edited by Julius Grout. The Blakiston Co., Philadelphia, 1951. ix 342 pp. 183figs. 15.5 X 24 cm. $5.50.
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THE fifth English edition of this clsasic work is appreciably enlarged hut similar in scope to the fourth edition (reviewed in J. CHEM.EDUC.,23,468 (1946)). I t incorporates advances in the subject made in cerLain European countries during the war years and more recently released as well as the most recent literature. Several detenninationa are cited here for the first time, notably the direct determination of oxygen by its conversion to carbon monoxide which reacts with iodine pentoride to free iodine. Esoeciallv to he noted is the inclusion of the full reoort of the
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"Wmn the development of the cyclotron and the construction of atomic piles, scientists have created nearly six hundred new isotopes of the ninety-two naturally occurring elements. . These radioactive atoms have provided a new tool, millions of times more aen~itivethan conventional chemical and spectroscopic methods, with which scientists, engineers, and teohnioians may follow reactions and investigate phenomena revealing new facts and important applications. I n this book, Dr. Guest has given in simple language the hasic ideas involved in the use of these new isotopes, indicating typical examples of their application in in dustry. . ." Thus writes Dr. D. A. Keys, Vioe-President of the National Research Council of Canada, and Director of the Atomic Energy Project, Chalk River, Ontario. As the author himself puts it, "industrial applications of radioisotopes are already varied and widespread and the purpose of this hook is t o stimulate further interest in uses of pile-produced isotopes in industry.'' Written in langusge which an intelligent layman can comprehend, the hook is slanted toward the industrialist looking far possible applications of the radioisotope technique. The book is equally well suited t o the professor giving a course in radiochemistry; many experiments are suggested which, in addition to supplying valuahle information both of a fundamental and applied nature, would serve also to illustrate the use of tracer techniques. The book not only provides a fairly complete summiwy of experiments already suggested or tried but the author goes on to suggest many which could be tried. As a general survey of the field, the book is excellent. It is not meant to be a comprehensive text discussing in detail counting techniques, etc.; neither does the author go into detail about the results of the experiments which he describes, but rather uses them only as illustrations of the tracer method. In the opinion of the reviewer it would have been desirable to go into a bit more detail on the last two chapters entitled "Laboratories." and "Precautions in the industrial uses of radioisotopes." The format is good. The clear type together with a lavish use of well chosen figures combine t o make a very readable book. Numerous references are given a t the end of each chapter and in the appendix. Although the index is somewhat weak, it is offset by a very complete table of contents. Only s few minor points
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brief, the reviewer feels that in another ediiion the section oh absorption spectrs. should he revised there is inaccuracy of statement in the discussion of the Beer-Lamhert law. The text is primarily a treatment of mieraanelysis from the viewpoint of organic chemistry and as such plays an important role in the development of thissubject. LUCY W. PlCKETT Mourn horror^ C o m ~ o e
S o n m HADLEI. MABBACHUBETTB
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THE POWER AND LIMITS OF SCIENCE
E. F. Coldin, Lecturer in Chemistry in the University of Leeds. Chapman and Hall Ltd., London, 1949. ix 196 pp. 14 X 22 cm. 12s. 6d.
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THIS book, subtitled "A Philosophied Study," is timely, well written, and stimulating. Probably few scientists would agree with all of the author's premises, arguments, and conclusions but few could fail to profit from a oritiod and careful reading of the book. Its values are of two distinct types: the ideas discussed and the clarity of the writing itself. The ideas should help to tim mulate and orystallise thought8 of the reader, although he will not always agree with the author. The writing itself could he studied by many as a model. Some of the flavor of the book can perhaps be comnmnicatedalthough only imperiectly-by quoting excerpts such as the following, from a chapter entitled "The inductive method.'' "The view that we are developing is that scientifio generalisiltions are neither certainly false nor certainly true, hut more or less reliable or likely, according to the evidence supporting them; that a scientific law claims s. qualified belief, and the likelihood of its being true can he improved or worsened by fresh evidence. All such likelihood depends, too, not only on the bare data of science, hut upon the legitimacy of assuming s principle which
JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL EDUCATION
666 may be expressed in some such form as 'there is order in nature.' a suficient condition for a. generalisation This is not, indeed. t o be w l a i n ; hut i t is a necessary condition without which no empirical generalisation would have any likelihood-without which science could not begin" (pages 59-60). ". . .This belief that there is order in nature is not a conclusion, hut a presupposition of science; induction cannot begin without it. Yet neither forms1 logic nor the bare observations warrant .The grounds for believing this presupposition it" (page 61). lnust be sought in metaphysics. . ." (page 70). (This last statement is that one of the author's fundamental contentions with which many scientists are most likely t o disagree.) Many of the summaries are gems, models which could well be atudipd by many authors. TOjudge a summary without reading the discussion it fallows is of course not fair. Nevertheless, here is the summary of the %page chapter, "Society and science": "Scieuce is distinct from technology, and the social problems raised hy it are quite different. The social function of science is twofold: to represent rational values and to supply techniques for lrgitimate material ends. Soience is concerned in the major crisir of our t i m c t h e decline in our conception of man-bemuse the value of truth is endangered, and because the crisis is partly due to the belief that science is the sole means of reaching t,ruth, 80 that a more accurate view of science would remove one sourct! of low views of the nature of man. Science can help to a solut,ion of the crisir-the recovery of a true view of man-in so frw ue it favours respect for truth and for the human person. Soientista should make it their bnsineas to uphold rational values, and a t the same time resiet attempts to extend scientific method to fields where i t is inappropriate and can only lead t o disastrous conclusions. Soience should find a place in a liberal education, which is incomplete without, a view of nature; the deficiencies of its method can be supplied by teaching it in association with other disciplines'' (page 174). Most scientists would probably agree for the most part with the nuthor's analysis of science, but many would feel that the book should be accompanied by a companion volume: "The I'ower and Limits of Philosophy." Nevertheless, "The Power and Limits of Science" is well worth reading.
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WILLIAM E. MORRELL Umvl;nsmr o r I L L ~ N O Z ~ Unsm*. Immole
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ORGANIC REACTIONS. VOLUME VI
Roger Adams, Editor-in-Chief. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New 517 pp. 5 figs. 7 2 tables. 15.5 X 2 4 cm. York, 1951. viii $8.
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FIVEprevious volumes in this series have familiarized chemists with the style and scope to he expected in each new volume. This volume lives up t o the previous high standards. The first chapter deals with the base-catdy~edcondensation of d d e h y d e ~(ketones) with suceinic esters, or the Stobhe wndensation. The chapter is written by W. S. Johnson and G. H. Douh. It is exoeptionally well done. Coverage is complete, presentation well organized and interesting, and nomenclature is round throughout. This chapter is followed by two chapters by W. M. Whsley and T. R. Govindschari an dihydroisoquinolines and tetrahydroisoquinolines and one by W. J. Gender on isoquinolines. The 132 pages devoted t o various syntheses of isoquinolines and related compounds reminds one of the little girl's report on a book dealing with penguins. She said .simply: "There is more about penguins in this hook than I care to know." Of course, penguin fanciers might wish for 2W pages rather t h m 132. Carl Djerassi's chapter on the Oppenauer oxidation brings out the fact that i t has been used in the past primarily for the oxide tion of secondary alcohols to ketones in the steroid series. Other chapters include syntheses of phosphonic and phosphinie acids (G. M. Kosalapoff), balogen-metal interconversion reaotion with organolithium compounds (R. G. Jones and H. Gilman), thiazoles
(R. H. Wiley, D. C. England, and L. C. Behr), thiophenos and tetrahydrothiophene? (D. E. Wolf and K. Folkers). The volume closes with an authoritative treatment of reductions by lithium aluminum hydride by Weldon G. Brawn. Each contributor mentions the date through whioh the literature has been reviewed. Six chapters include 1949 references, two include 1948 ones, but two (thiazoles, thiophenes) unfortunately are complete only through 1946. This results in one serious omiesion in the thiophene chapter, namely, the naninclusion of the process developed by The Texss Company for the synthesis of thiophene. Again, the editors are to be congratulated for having sponsored so useful a book, and t,he publishers for preparing it so at,tractively.
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ECONOMIC ASPECTS OF ATOMIC POWER
Sam H. Schurr and Jacob Marschak. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey, 1950. xrvi 289 pp. 3 2 tables. 4 maps. 2 graphs. 17.5 X 26.5 cm. $6.
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INTHIS book the authors present the results of a study which they directed for the Cowles Commission far Research and Economics. Three research associates (Sam H. Schurr, George Perazich, and Edward Boorstein) and three research consultants (Herbert A. Simon, Harold H. Wein, and Milton F. Searl) are listed as oontributors to the study. In addition, an extensive list of the sources of information, persons, and organizations is given in the preface. The presentation of the study is ntraightforward, matter of fact, and gives a dispassionate vieu- of the probably small total effect of atomic power an the world's economy, a relief from the hulk of literature on atomic energy. The core of the study is the estimate in Part I of the cost of power from nuclear fuels. The estimate is introduced by a eonsideration of the characteristics and uses of atomic power, the nature of plant and equipment required, and the supply of raw fuel. It is established that the minimum cost will be that of conventional power minus fuel costs, hut that fixed chargee will make the minimum difficult t o realbe, a t least without a long development period. Thus a minimum cost of atomic power in the form of electricity would be 4 to 4.3 mils per kw.-hr. in 1946 prices. With slight changes as t o assumptions allowing for the effect of higher fixed wsts, the price range is 6.6 to 7 mils per kw.-hr. which may be given as an intermediate cost. A maximum cost is given as 10.2 mils per kw.-hr. and takes into account the possible high cost of processing fuel. The authors cope very fairly with the lack of definitive information on which to base these estimates. They point out this lack is due more to the fact that developments have not taken place as yet rather than due to security regulations. The technical man reading the book will find him~elfdesiring specific reactor designs to which to relate the discussion. The interaction between weapons production and power production is not discussed. Following the discussion of the cost of atomic power, the cost of conventional power in various parts of the world is analyzed thoroughly and presented in instructive fashion. I n Part I1 the effect of cheaper power (electricity and heat), together with the effect of its redistribution on selected industries, is evaluated as follows: Aluminum. The future expansion of aluminum output in t,he United States might be supported by the availability of large amounts of atomic power. Should the expansion take place due to this fact, it would he in locations differing from those being considered todav. Chlorine and kauslic Soda. At most a 5 per cent reduction in cost may be expected in a fen areas, hence little or no over-all effect is predicted. Phosphate Fe7lilzzw. No significant effect is antioipitted although some change in methods of production may be possible.
