BOOK REVIEWS the schedule, lecture material, and laborstory work, as well as well-timed advice to both student and instructor. The authors have replaced the artifice of solubility classes x (81, S1, A,, A s ete.) by reference to soh~hilitybehavior. One finds only minor changes in the chapters dealing with the core of qualitative organic analysis. The three outstanding changes in the text are well reoeived: 1) The presentation of the separation of mixtures is advanced from chapter 11 to chapter 7; 2) The ohapter on the Use of Speetroscopie Methods for Functional Groups is expended by the inclusion of material on proton magnetic resonance speetroseopy; 3) The tables of derivatives have been expanded by the addition of ~pproximately 35% new entries. The early treatment of mixtures not only relates this important topic more closely to solubility behavior, hut also lends greater significance to the separation of mixture^ in the mind of the student. Too frequently the separation of mixtures becomes rtnticlimactic, with a mad rush at the end of the course. The use of instrumental methods is purely that of aagmentation, and is left to the decision of the instructor. A devoted and long-time user of this fine text might be somewhat disappointed to find that the questions and problems remain essentially unchanged. One finds satisfaction in the fact that the problems
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the nature of experimental data. The tone is everywhere operational, however, rather than philosophical. Each important point is illustrated with real data. Sometimes statistical analysis of the example provides no conclusive result, hut instead reveals the inadequacy of the data. In example after example, we are shown how statistical methods can he applied to the usual run of laborstory results. Many people will be brought up short ROYG. BOSSERT by the following statement made earl." Ohio Weshyan University (p. 20) in the book: "It has often been Delaware stated that statistical methods of data analysis are justified in the physical sciences wherever erron are 'large', The Statistical Analysis of Experimental but unnecessary in situations where the Data measurements are of great precision John Mandel, National Bureau of StandSuch a viewpoint is based on a misunderards, Washington, D. C. Interscience standing of the nature of physical science." Publishers (a division of John Wiley The author goes on to point out wh!and Sons, Inc.), New York, 1964. xi statistical methods are of even greater 410 pp. Figs. and tables. 15.5 X 23.5 value in situations of high precision. This cm. $12. book takes a giant step toward illustrstinp a pronouncement of a friend and former It is hardly a criticism worth mentioning colleague of mine, T. J. Neubert, wla, to say that the blurb on the dust jacket said, "There exists this theorem: Nothing of a book does not give a trustworthy apis outside strttistics." praisal. Strange to relate, however, this The material alluded to so far is enough book is much better than the dust jacket to make this a fine hook, but there is indicates. To place this work in a proper more. Some of Mandel's own major perspective, it will be useful to say first contributions to the field are explained what it does not contain. I t includes no and exemplified in a hook for the first discussion or catalogue of experitime. These include his clever method of mental designs. Neither does it present a representing s. table of data. by means of an greet variety of statistical tests. The empirical equation having relatively few neophyte looking for a recipe will not be parameters, s. detailed discussion of his served, for this is not a cookbook. "sensitivity ratio" procedure of comparing Instead of these conventional trappings, John Mandel gives us a brilliant essay on (Continued on page AS88)
are of excellent quality, and the instructor hss great freedom of choice in numbers. The authors and publishers ace to be commended for this excellent revision. The text is remarkably free from errora, and is well produced with clem type. In the judgment of this reviewer this text continues to maintain its strong position ss the outstanding work on introductory qualitative organic analysis.
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BOOK REVIEWS two different techniques for measuring the same characteristic, and his statistical procedure for handling the fitting of a straight line when cumulative errors prevail. This last is illustrated on the original data published by Robert Boyle in support of the law which now bean his name. Ineidentallv. manv measurements. type of analysis. Only modest madhematics is required of the reader. Any practicing scientist can learn a great deal from this hook. The first thing he will learn is that there can be no isolation from an understanding of the behavior of measurements. I suppose i t could be argued that one doesn't have to know more than Robert Boyle did about experimental data, but who would pass up the opportunity to get a 300-year jump on Boyle (and many cnntemporaries)? Gaerol Electric Lamp Division Cleveland, Ohio
The Ambidextrous U niverra: Right, and the Fall of Parity
Left,
Mmtin Gadnw, Scialifie American. Basic Books. Inc.. New York. 1964. x 294 ~ i ~ s14.5 . x 21.5 em. $5.95.
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Journal o f Chemkal Education
Most perusers of Seiatifie American are amme that Martin Gerdner has been amusing his readers for nearly a decade with provocative problems. I n addition to his monthly assignment in the a p proprirtte department of that publication, Mr. Gardner has entertained us with a number of popular scientific books. His latest contribution deals with the philosophically fascinating world of mirror reflections, contrapuntal matter, pafity, antiuniverses, or whatever. I n t h ~ s hook on the "Ambidextraur Universe" he takes us on B number of exoursions "through the looking glass" (or within it) and points up the s~gnificanceof the left- and righehandedness of entities as diverse as the ear and the cobalt atom in a. magnetic field. Mr. Ga~dneris to be complimented on the presentation of material in a form readily grasped by scientifically-oriented high school students and teachers, and the educated laymrtn. There are numerous gems to he found also by college teachers who may not be fully familiar wrth the subject dealing with the optm-matbematicel duality of structure, be it biological, chemical, or cosmic. I was alittle disturbed by the number of exclamation points used in the book, and a t one time hegan thinking that some of the sentences were factorialized. The technical quality of the hook is excellent; but there is a minor typographical error on line 30 of page 170. There is an amusing (and to Gardner, I am sure) error on page 271 wherein, in order to express a very small number, the figure
"1/000.. ." appears. A very adequate index is included. I confess to jotting down numerous items for lectures and for fntnre refemnee.
much success t o find a way to tell an inhabitant of Planet X (Chapters 18 and 191, under the restrictions imposed, which hands were his left and right by means of solenoids. Can the Farrtday effect (mngneto-optical rotation) be used? For those unacquainted with the palindrome, A man, a plan, a canal-Panam!, they will find it, as well as a longer one, quoted on p. 40 (via C. C. Bombaugh). The use of a tape recorder to play mnsio backwrtrd is mentioned (p. 38). This brings to my mind a scene played by the Straw Hatters in California (Yreka Bakery) in which an Icelandic Saga was enacted to the reversed taping af nursery rhymes. The effect on the audience when the scene wss then re-enacted in the forward direction of the tape was nothing hut hilarious. There are several statements made which need el~rificatian: Hormones are proteins (p. 125); actually, not all hormones are proteins. Little is known concerning the utilization by organisms of the unnatural antipode of a naturally-occuring, optiedy-active carbon eompound (p. 130); this cannot be supported in view of rather extensive studies in this area over many years. For example, we know that D-amino acid oxidase occurs (Continued on page A330)
