RECENT BOOKS TEXTBOOK OP QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS. William Thorns Hall, Associate Professor of Analytical Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Second edition. John Wiley & Sons. Inc., New York City. 1935. ix 350 pp. 46 figs. 15 X 23 cm. S . 0 0 .
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Professor Hall's book, bearing the above title, made its initial appearance in 1930. As the author remarks in his preface to this first edition, the text is in large measure an abridgment of F. P. Trcadwell's familiar treatise (that is, in its Americanized form), the reason for the condensation being that the "Treadwell-Hall" had by gradual additions of new matter become too unwieldy for class use. Surely such a volume is supported by a wholesome tradition; for Treadwell, the eminently successful teacher of chemical analysis a t Ziirich, was a pupil of the far-famed Bunsen; hence it is reasonable t o suppose that he must have imbibed bath inspiration and constructive suggestions from the great master. who in turn, as one of his many remarkable qualities, possessed a rare degree of proficiency as an analyst. Coming to the new, or second, edition of the manual under consideration, one notices with pleasure that many of the "tried-andtrue" methods are retained while a t the same time a considerable number of the recently evolved processes are introducedjudicious blending of the old with the new. Moreover, wherever theoretical principles are given exposition, the treatment seems quite in accord with present-day chemical thinking. On comparing the current with the retiring issue, the following improvements d e s w e favorable mention: the introduction of ceric sulfate as a standard reagent in oxidimetry, some noteworthy extensions in steel and ore analysis, and the incorporation of work on bearing metals. As an ex-survey man, the reviewer feels forced to pronounce the section devoted t o the examination of silicate minerals (in the language of the late Dr. H. S. Washington) "inadequate"; in fact, it is apt to give the student a wrong impression as t o what this difficult kind of analysis is really like. On the other hand, references to the writings of Hillehrand and Lundell, Mellor, Duparc, and the before-named Washington, if given a t the beginning of the chapter, should certainly help to broaden the learner's horizon. Taken as a whole the text would seem to he a very satisfactory class book-superior doubtless t o most of those works that have been designed to fill a similar place; consequently, it can he heartily recommended to such schools as haye need of a book on quantitative chemical analysis of moderate scope. W n ~ u r mM.THORNTON, JR. TBBJOHNS HOPEINSUNIYBPSITY B<IYOFZS, M
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TEE RISE OP MODERN PHYSICS. Henry Crew, Professor Emeritus of Physics in Northwestern University. Second edition. The Williams & Wilkins Company, Baltimore. 1935. xix 434 pp. 17 figs. 16 illustrations. 12 X 18 nn. W.W.
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This book, a revision of the 1928 edition, is "the story of the origin and evolution of modern physics, and of the workers who brought i t to its present state of perfection." It develops the history of physics by discussing the various discoveries in physics, not from the viewpoint of a succession of discarded theories, but as modifications of experiences and judgments accumulating from earliest times t o the present. The first portion of the text is devoted to a r6sum6 of the pertinent contributions t o physics through the Medieval period. This is followed by "The Birth of Modern Physics," concerned principally with the work of the "great trio," Galileo, Huygeus, and Newton. Developments in the separate fields of Mechanics, Optics, Electricity, and Magnetism, Heat, and the "Discrete Nature of Matter" are then shown separately, all finally merging throuxh "The Inertia of Electricity" and "The Rise of Modern
Spectroscopy" into the advances made in "recent" physics. The last chapter is devoted to a brief discussion of relativity and the derivation of the fundamental equations of restricted relativity, with applications of these equations. A bibliography is included. The author has kept in mind, throughout the book, "the undergraduate just entering upon the study of advanced physics." His aim has been to present "an irreducible minimum" of data necessary "to acquire a just perspective," in order that the reader may be able to approach the phenomena and theories of "recent" physics with an intelligible concept of the background from which they came. The author's task is finished when he leads the reader up to electronics and quantum phenomena. This book, "a popular sketch," should prove of value to all who are interested in science, whether as laymen or specialists. The author has designedly striven to reach the reader who, with hut little previous knowledge of physics, wishes to acquire some insight into themysteries of "recent" physics. The book is written in an interesting style, interspersed with personal notes on the men who have contributed to the development of physics. The reader requires a knowledge of elementary mathematics only for an intelligent grasp of the text, higher mathematics being used in hut a few places. C. G. EICHLIN UNIWRSITI OP M A R ~ A N D CDLLHOB PARK, MARYLAND
DIET AND LIKE IT. Mabel E . Baldwin, Ph.D. With an introduction by Daniel C. Derrou, M.D., Yale University School of Medicine. First Edition. D. Appleton-Century Co., New York City, 1935. x 230 pp. 13.5 X 20 cm. $2.50.
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The purpose of this hook is to give specific dietary directions which may be followed hy any individual who wishes to lose weight and then to hold the adjusted weight, meanwhile maintaining body health and vigor. Besides giving directions for such a diet, the author explains the relationship between food and the growth and repair of body tissue, the energy requirement, and the storage of excess fat. An excellent summary of ten sugg&ions for planning a protective diet for weight maintenance gives the reader an exact basis far the adjustment of his diet. This is made still more understandable by an explanation which includes numerical values for the amount of each dietary essential in a measured quantity of common foods such as milk, meat, butter, eggs, fruits, vegetables, and cereal grains. As is brpught out in this excellent book, haphazard dieting is dangerous; dieting by rules based on our knowledge of nutrition is healthful, and dieting with a scientific and mathematical understanding of the principles involved is, a t the same time, healthful and most interesting. One may diet in an intelligent way, "and like it." N. M. NAYLOR
CHKMISTRY WORKBOOK.~ h r l e s k Dull, . Head of Science Department, West Side High School, Newark, New Jersey. Henry Holt and Company. New York City, 1935. vii 348 pp. 68figs. 20.5X27.5cm. W.88.
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Time was when it was the proper thing for the author of a chemistry text to bring out subsequently a laboratory manual to accompany the text. The fashion now seems to b e a n d it is not confined to chemistry t e x t e t o bring out a workbook which usually contains: (1) directions far laboratory experiments; (2) questions and problems, usually found a t the end of the chapters in. the text; (3) drill exercises to fix in mlnd the points already learned; and (4) devices for helping the student correlate his ideas. Mr. Dull has fallen right in line with this newer idea. This workbook is designed to accompany the author's Modern Chemistry, hut it may be used with any modern textbook in highschool chemistrv. Each of the eirhteen units is introduced with a
