AUGUST, 1950 these reasons we can apply our generalizations only to a few limited and highly specific situations. In spite of these difficulties, the development of a science of society remains one of the most important tasks of educated man and because of the difficulties it is R most challenging one. WALTER B. KEIGHTON Sw*nr~uosn Co~rnoc SW*~T"MOBE. PENNBIL"*NI*
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THE CHEMISTRY OF ORGANIC MEDICINAL PRODUCTS
Glenn L. Jenkins, Professor of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Dean of the School of Pharmacy, Purdue University, and Walter H.Hartung, Professor of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of North Camlina. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 1949. Third edition. ix 745 pp. 75 tables. 15.2 X 23.5 om. 57.50.
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THE first edition of this book (1941) was planographed and contained 457 pages divided into 15 chapters. It has now grown to 745 pagesand 16 chapters. The preface states that thevolume "has been written ss a textbook for students who have had basic courses in ohemistry and are interested in the chemistry of medicI t is intended primarily for inal and related products." students in the more advanced courses in pharmaceutical, them;e d , biological, and medicinal science. It should prove of value and interest d m to practitioners in these fields." The following topics are doslt with: Hydrocarbons (40 pp.), Halogenated hydrocarbons (20 ~ p . )Hydroxyl , derivatives of hydrocarbons (60 pp.), Ethers and ether peroxides (13 pp.), Carbony1 group (70 pp.), Carboxyl group (70 pp.), Natural mixtures (31 pp.), Amines and amine derivatives (129 pp.), Cyanides and nitro compounds (11 pp.), Sulfur compounds (33 pp.), Compounds of phospho-, arsenic, and antimony (18 pp.), Metallic derivatives of organic compounds (15 pp.), Heterocycles containing one heteroatom (86 pp.), Heterocycles containing two or more hetematoms (38 pp.), Stereoisomerism (46 pp.), Some physicochemical properties of medicinal products (15 pp.). There is a. general bibliography (9 pp.), and an extensive index (41 pp.). On the whole, the authors have done a good job in assembling data which are scattered throughout the chcmioal, pharmsceutical, and medical literature. This is obviously of value to warkem in these fields. Numerous references and a general bibliography invite to further study of specific topics. I t is inevitable that opinions will vary as to the amount of space alloted to individual sections. This reviewer, for example, feels that the description of hydrocarbons is much too long, considering the minor role of these compounds in medicine. On the other hand, the chapter on enzymes is too short for comfort. Trypsin, for ex6mple, is taken care of by the following sentence (p. 302): "Tryp sin is a partly purified proteolytic enzyme from the pancreas which digests 100 parts of casein." The vagueness of this s t a t e meut is 1101 ituiquv. 'I%cwH W ( ~ t h r~, i r n i l ~ wu r 1 t ~ u 1 e ~ . On 1). 391: "Aoc,ut 0.2 K. ofglgcinr hvdnd~lori~lc~ is cquivnlwr r o more I 1 I oi i t h I l . iI . It is owril,lt~that s student of i;harmacy has definite quantitative ideasas to the eoncentretion af "diluted hydrochloric acid," and visualizes a definite quantity when told of "about 0.2 g." or "more than lOdrops," hut statements of that type will not stimulate a quantitative nttitude in the average student. The references, as stated before, are valuable for further study. A more careful proofreading, however, would be desirable. In order to make this hook even more valuable to student and prttctitiouer dike it would be highly desirable to have the next edzlzon thoroughly edited. One cannot escape the impression that this book is not quite out of the filing card collection stage. Some careful overhauling could go far toward making it an outstanding textbook.
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AN ADVANCED TREATISE ON PAISICAL CHEMISTRY, VOL. I
I. R. Partington, Professor of Chemistry, University of London, England. Longmans, Green, and Co., New York, 1949. dii 943 pp. Illustrated with tables and figures. 16 X 26 cm. $16.
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THISvolumeis the f i s t of a three- or four-volume treatise which aims to present in a comprehensive manner the bulk of knowledge which has come to be known as physical chemistry. The first 419 pages introduce the reader to the fundamental theories and laws and is divided into the following sections: Mathematical Introduction, pages 1-114, .Thermodynsmics, ptqes 115-233, The Kinetic Theory of Gases, pages 234-292, Statistics1 Mechanics and Quantum Theory, pages 293-376, and Wave Mechanics, pages377-419. The remainder of this volume is devoted to Thermometry, High and Low Temperature Measurement, pages 420-545, and finally, a comprehensive presentation of the Properties of Gases, pages 546-934. The two most valuable characteristics of this work are its historical perspective and its close adherence to experimental results. Although the historical introductions to each section are brief they are accompanied by voluminous bibliographies which should be of considerable value in helping the careful scholar in obtaining an accurate knowledge of the evolution of the subject. More important in determining the character of the work is Dr. Partington's keen interest in methods of measurement and the results of experiments. This point of view is evidenced by the fact that only 419 pages are devoted to the threesciencesunderlying modern physical chemistry-thermodynamics, statistical mechanics, and quantum theory--and 500 pages are devoted to the properties of gases. The mathematical theorist could indeed be critical of the treatment of these three fundamental subjects, but to criticize something as inadequate which the author himelf regards as asummery or sketch would be unfair. The strength of this first volume resides in the detail description of the methods of measurement, the tabulation of results, and the completeness of the bibliography (over 18,000references). Pressure-volume-temperature relationships, densities and molar weights, viscosities, specific heats, diffusion of gases are treated in great detail, and the most aeourate data compiled in tabular form. This alone is avaluahle contribution to the science. If in the future.volumes Dr. Partington maintains t'le same thoroughness as he has achieved in this one the whole work will prove of great value to advanced students and teachers of physical chemistry. We look forward to the completion of this monnmental task. I t will he very interesting to fmd out haw Dr. Partington will treat the more intricate parts of the field. HERBERT S. HARNED Y*LE UNIVERBITT N E W H*YEN, CONNECTICUT
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THERMODYNAMICS OF DILUTE AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS
M. I. N. Pourbaix, Doctor in de Technische Wetenschap, Delft, University of Brussels, Belgium. Translated by J. N. Agar. Edward Arnold & Co., London, England, 1949. (U. S. distributors: Longmans, Green and Co., Inc.) xv 136 pp. 27 figs. 15.5 X 23 cm. $5.50.
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T m s hook is a translation of a doctoral thesis presented by the author at the Delft Institute of Technology, The Netherlands, in 1945. The thesis was published in French by Meinema at Delft and a second printing was published by B h n g e r at Paris. The English translation by Dr. J. N. Agar fallows the second French printing very olosely. There are marked improvements of presentation, the main one being the inclusion of the figures in the body of the text in place of the separate brochure of the French original (with the loss, however, of the graded shading of some of the figures indicating gradual solubility increases). Pourbaix's fundamental idea. of constructing potential-pH
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JOURNAL O f CHEMICAL EDUCATION
diagrams for the chemicd and electrochemical equilibria between an element, water, and all the ions, oxides, hydrouides, etc., which can be formed hy interaction of the element with aqueous solutions, first appeared in various Belgian and French technical journals before the last war. Presentation of a complete treatment of the subject was unavoidably delayed. In 1946 and later years Pourbaix's methods met with a very favorable reception in various countries, particularly in Great Britain where U. R. Evans and his collaborators in the field of corrosion research quickly saw the possibilities of these potential-pH diagrams as guides to research and as a means of coordinating multitudes of facts. U. R. Evans has written an enthusiastic foreword to this English translation. He has also.called attention to the importance of Pourbaix's work in his recent "Introduction to Metallic Corrosion." The main title of the book, "Thermodynamics of Dilute Aqueous Solutions" may be somewhat misleading because only those aspects of the theory of solutions are presented which are needed for what the main purposes of the hook really are. These purposes can well be cheracterieed by joining the subtitles of the French and English editions which are, respectively, "Graphic Representation of the Role of the pH and of that of Potential" and "With Applications to Electrochemistry and Corrosion." The book consists of six chapters, four of which are systematically divided and subdivided with the result that a great deal of information is presented in a clear and concise manner. In the fist three chapters the essentials of the theories of pH, homogeneous, heterogeneous, and electrochemical equilibria are summarised. In Chapters IV and V we find general remarks concerning the complete potential-pH diagrams. Chapter V particularly will no doubt be of great interest to electroehemists and students of corrosion who will find here a number of guiding principles greatly needed in their fields. The few pages of section B 4 of this chapter are, besides the diagrams themselves, the most useful contribution of this hook. Chapter VI constitutes more than half of the book and contains the detailed construction and discussion of the potential-pH diagrams for the systems eopper-water, iron-water, ohromium-water, and nitrogen-water. The many possible usrs of these diagrams, not only in electrochemistry and corrosion, but also in analytical and general chemistry, are made quite evident. Also these diagrams show where investigations concerning irreversibility, overvoltage, polarization curves, ete., are needed. The grsphiphic representation of domains of ~assivitv " (or . immunitv.",the terin selected bv the translator). oassivation. and oorrosion constitutes a strikine sum--~mary of the behavior a metal in the various conditions of pH and potential to which it is exposed. Pourbaix's book contains only samples of such diagrams and a collection including all common elements appears highly desirable. In the appendix will be found a table of standard chemiod potentials, a useful discussion of the construction of several types of curves appearing in the diagrams, a table of symbols. A list of references and an index close the volume. The price of the hook seems too high and will no doubt be an obstacle to the wide circulation it deserves. ~
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PIERRE VAN RYSSELBERGHE
U m v m a r ~ rOP OBEBON EOBENE.OREGON
AUTHOR'S GUIDE John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 1950. xi f 80 pp. 15.5 X 24 cm. $2. Tms little hook previously published under the title, "The Manuscript-A Guide," was written to serve two purposes: "to guide the author in the efficient preparation of 6is material, and to inform him of the publishing procedure from the time he submits his manuscript until the printed book [is] in hand!' In both these respects the hook succeeds admirably. All phases of editing are painstakingly illustrated with frequent
hints to the author concerning what things are to be specially checked and what can be overlooked. The publishing process is well outlined. The hook serves as a quick reference handbook, for inside the front and back covers are lists of "do's" and "don't's" which cover the items in editing which occur most nftpn ... -...
Any nurhor not well vrrsrd in the printing routine ~ o u l dfind this little volume well worth his time awl cprtninly any puhlisher mould be hnppy if all its tiutLon followel the prtm~lureoutlined. DANA JOHNSON
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CHEMICAL DEVELOPMENT IN THYROIDOLOGY
William T. Salter, Professor of Pharmacology, Yale University, School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut. Charles C. Thomas, Springfield, Illinois, 1950. v 87 pp. 6 figs. 14.5 X 22.5 cm. $2.
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TRIS little volnme is a monograph in American Lectures in Endocrinology, Publication No. 26 of the American Lecture Series. It includes a discussion of: Synthesis of the Thyroid Hormone, The Blocking of Thyroid Activity, Circulating Thyroid Hormone, Application of Radio-Iodine, as well ss a bibliography of related work.
THE NATURE OF THE BACTERIAL SURFACE Edited by A. A. Miles a n d N. W. Pirie. Springfield, Illinois, 1949. vii 179 pp. 22.5 Ern. $3.
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Charles C Thomas, 12 plates. 14.5 X
Tms hook is a series of articles originally presented as a Symposium of the Society of General Microbiology, at the April, 1949, meeting. A listing of the titles gives a good indication of the material covered: The Surface Structure of Shigella shigoe as Revealed by Antigenic Analysis, by W. T. J. Morgan; The Nature of the Surface of Gram-Positive Bacteria, by M. Stacey; The Osmotic Barrier in Bacteria, by P. Mitchell; On the Mechanism of Adsorption of Bscterioph~gesan Host Cells, by T. F. Anderson; The Status of Some Arguments about the Bacterial Surface, by A. A. Miles; The Nature of Bacterial Surfaces, by E. T. C. Spooner; Capsule Formation in the Pneumoooccus, by Harriett Taylor; Bacterial Surface, Fhgella and Motility, by A. Pijper.
THE AROMATIC DIAZO-COMPOUNDS AND TECHNICAL APPLICATIONS
THEIR
K. H. Sounders, Chemist, Imperial Chemical Industries, Ltd. Edward Arnold and Company, London, 1949. xi 46 tables. 15.5 X 23.5 cm. $10.
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TEE second edition has been expanded and rather thoroughly revised. This useful book will receive a cordial welcome. The Chapters me as follows: I, The Formation of DiaaoCompounds; 11, The Stability of Diazo-Compounds in the Solid State and in Solution; 111,IV, V, VI, VII, m d VIII, Reactions of the Diazo-Compounds; IX, The Analytical Determination of Diaeo-Compounds; X, The Action of Light on Diazo-Compounds; and XI, Theories of the Constitution of the DiazoCompounds. In addition, there is an author index, a subject index, and an index of British, United States, and German P a t ents. HENRY OILMAN
IOWA STATEC O L L E O ~ Anrra, IOWA
