RECENT BOOKS THE ROXANCEOF RESEARCE. L. V. Redman, Vice-president and Director of Research, and A . V.H. Mory, Associate Director of Research, both of Bakelite Corporation. The Williams & Wilkins Co., Baltimore, 1933. x i 149 pp. 12.5 X 18.5 cm. $1.00.
teaching chemistry the translator felt the need of a really comprehensive book, written in English, on qualitative analysis and inorganic preparations, that might be placed with confidence in the hands of the beginners.. . . The old orthodox method of teaching Analytical Chemistry t o the beginners is badly in need For the thousands returning from the Chicago Fair with the of a wholesome change, as, more often than not, the students desire to learn more of the real meaning of the exposition, the are found t o work mechanically without any clear grasp of the Century of Progress Series of dollar books will provide fascinating principles involved," and "Impressed with the excellence of its reading. "The Romance of Research" will undoubtedly prove method, judicious selection of up-to-date information compressed one of the most popular of the twenty or more volumes. The in a small volume and the clarity of expression needed for the professional standing of Dr. Redman and Dr. Mory assures the beginners, the translator took the earliest opportunity of asking scientist and the industrialist a serious attempt to realize the from the author the permission of rendering this book into goal of conveying to the layman "the viewpoint of research, and English." The reviewer feels that Professor R&y has sensed a real need something of its method, its development, and its achievements." The imaginative and broadly cultural approach of the authors to and has made a real contribution toward meeting it. A few their task will prove a delight to professional and lay reader institutions are now wisely making an effort to lower the barriers hetween the traditional subdivisions of the subject, to treat alike. I n the first chapter there is a statement of the qualifications of and to teach chemistry as a unified science, and t o set up comthe research worker that may well find its place with similar prehensive requirements for those who would do their major sayings of such scientists and philosophers as Whitney, Little, undergraduate work in this field of concentration. This hook Mvlillikan, Eddington, and Jeans: "But what of the method by is best described by the word comprehensive. It is more than a which men are thus creating, or rather by which they are helping manual; i t is replete with descriptive and explanatory material, Nature tocreate, a better physical environment for usall? If the fundamental theory, illustration, summary outlines, tables, desire is for Something intrinsically new, whether an alloy steel, a structural formulas and equations, as well as with rules and synthetic dye, s radio tube, or a spineless cactus, i t must be suggestions on general laboratory practice and technic, pointers obtained, if a t all, in Nature's prescribed way; i t must be created; on the care and use of materials and equipment, clear and conand nobody who is in a hurry to get something has ever heenvery cise directions for the preparation and analysis of substances, successful in learning what way Nature prescribes. On the other the application and interpretation of tests, etc. The hookis a unit, not divided into chapters; yet i t is logically hand, certain intellectually honest, enthusiastically persevering individuals, endowed with insatiable curiosity, keen power of organized and unusually well indexed. The introductory pages observation, ingenuity, originality, patience, common-sense, and contain four different classifications of the subject matter, each the urge to take infinite pains, qave been notably successful in with page references to major and minor topics, as follows: Contents, including First Aid in Accidents, List of Apparatus, inducing Nature to reveal her secret ways of working. Furtherand the numbered sections: 1. General Rules. 2. Manipulative more, t o such i t is the best of allsports." The final appeal for the application of the scientific method to Methods in Chemistry. 3. Preliminary Experiments and Theothe solution of economic and social problems will find a ready retical Introduction. 4. Non-metals. 5. The Important Acids. response from all trained in the physical sciences: "So let fact- 6. The Alkali Group. 7. The Alkaline Earths. 8. Ammonium finding concerning our social order continue even though the mass Sulfide Group. 9. Hydrogen Sufflde Group. 10. Hydrochloric of data accumulated become a maze. Chemistry for a century Acid Group. 11. Rare Elem6nts. 12. Acids (analysis of the was a confusing array of unrelated facts. Then came Can- anions). 13. Course of Analvsis. 14. Tables and Index. 5yllabur oJ Thtowlirol ~,t'vrtpler, indcxing some eighty imnizarro, Mendelheff, Kekulk, Lewis, Langmuir, Bohr, each lighting the way with revealing generalization. Thus will i t be portant discuk*ionsapp~aringthrough~utthr. hook. Sun~maryaJ the Course c f Annlyrir, rcfcrrinp; to twenty-ccven in our new science of sociology.'' "The Romance of Research" is another worthy contribution summary procedures for separations, etc. List of Prefierations, indexing &y-two preparations which to that nation-wide adventure in edfication that is serving a wider field than could possibly be reached hy t* more formal methods range iu difficulty from that involved in the preparation of carbon dioxide to that of such exercises as the simultaneous of chemical education in the classroom.,, preparation of thionyl chloride and phosphorus oxychloride. JOHNR. SAMPEY I n the presentation of the details of individual subjects the HOWARO COLLBOB broad comprehensive view is maintained. Thus, the material Brauraoe*H. ALha*ll* on antimony, covering seven and one-half pages, is outlined under the beadings: Occurrence; Salts; Alloys; Solubility of A MANUAL OP INORGANIC QUALITAWE the Metal; Preparation of Antimony Trichloride; Preparation AND INORGANIC PREPARATIONS.Dr. E. H. Riesen- of Sodium Sulfoantimonate~ Tests: Flame ANALYSIS. feld, Professor a t the University of Berlin. An authorized c ~ 2 , Bead~ Test, 3. ~ ~ and Charcoal-Soda~ ~ Endish translation by P. Ray, M.A., University College of Stick T ~ 4. ~pilmTest, 6. ~ , 5. Heated in Closed Science. Calcutta, India, of the latest (eleventh) German Test; ~~~~~i~~~of S b ~ , twith Hydrogen, 2, Zinc, edition of "Anorganischshemisches Praktikum," revised in 3. Water; Reactions of SbO,,,, Sh20.,,,,, and SbOa, with collaboration with Dr. R. Kkmnl, Assistant a t the Chemical Sulfuretted Hydrogen, 2, Zinc. Instituteof theuniversity of Frankfurt a. M. Chuckervertty, Each metal and acid in turn is treated in a Chatterjee 8r Ca.. Ltd.. 15 College Square. Calcutta, 1933. manner. The reader is allowed to feel that he is dealing with xxiii 471 PP. 29 Figs. 13.5 X 21.5 cm. Rice. Indian, a chemical individual-with a character-and not merely with Rs. 6/-; Foreign 9s. an ion met with in oualitative analvsis. The fact that this book has run through eleven German ediOn the whole thebook is a refreshing departure from the usual tious over a period of a quarter of a century seems sufficient make-up of books an chemistry available in English, and prohassurance that i t possesses a content and a character worthy ably few books of its scope in any language would contain so not merely of continuation but of dissemination. I n the trans- much valuable material. No outstanding errors are noted. lator's preface we read: "During long years of experience in Twenty-eight cases of typographical error are listed as Errata
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