JUNE. 1952 321

The dispersed made of placement of the tables of physical con- stants and the methods for the characterization of common types of organic compounds is somewhat unconventional. Obviously, unconventional need not mean unsatisfactory.

The clarity of the diagrams, the neatness of the tables and the attractive format of the text create a very favorable impression. Only a. few minor typographical errors were noted. Unfortu- nately, the word, Soxhlet, is misspelled a t least a doeen times, though it is spelled correctly in places.

Eaoh teacher and student of organic chemistry has his por- sonal opinion as to what constitutes an adequate, practical experience in organic chemistry for the undergraduate chemist. Because of these myriad viewpoints it would seem almost impos- sible to encompass in s. single volume enough material to satisfy everyone. Dr. Vagel's ambitious and admirable attempt to offer a complete experience in a single volume is noteworthy. He has written a book whiohundouhtedly will have wide appeal.

DONALD C. GREGG

PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS IN SOLIDS

Edited by R. Smoluchowsky, I. E. Mayer, and W. A. Weyl. John Wiley h Sons, Inc., New York, 1951. r + 660 pp. Illus bated. 14.5 X 22 cm. $9.50.

IN AUWST, 1948, a four-day Conferenoe on Phase Tran* formations in Solids was held at Cornell University. This hook contains the text and discussion of 17 papers which were presented a t that conference.

The f i s t six pspers deal with theoretical physical aspects of phase transformations; the next six are concerned with non- metals; and the last five with metals. Much of the material represents the reaults of the current researchea of the various authors.

Since the audience to which the pspers were addressed consisted of specialists, invited because of their interest in this field, the book as a whole is rather advanced for the general reader. Aside from its value to specialists in the field, it is of interest because it shows how a variety of points of view can be used to illuminate s. particular subject. According to the Foreword, physicists, chemipts, metallurgists, ceramists, and crystallographers were among those who joined in presenting the pspers and partici- pating in thediscussion.

WILLIAM E. CADBURY. Jn. H*"ERm,RD CO'LEO.

I I A Y E R ~ R D , P B I P N B ~ I . Y A N ~ A

CHEMISTRY IN ACTION

George M. Rawlins, Professor of Chemistry, Austin Peay State College, Clarksdle. Tenn., and Alden H. Struble, Teacher of Science, Western High School, Washington, D. C. Second Edition. D. C. Heath and Ca., Boston, 1952. vi + 575 pp. 426 figs. 58 tables. 17 X 24 cm. $3.60.

THE furniture of thir second edition of a. high-school chemistry text is excellent. Words in the glossary are cilrefully chosen and clemlv defined. There is a useful list of references a t the end of each chapter and these lists are collectedinto a scholarly bibilog- mphy in the appendix. The collection of nearly 200 film titles includes short descriptions, running times, and sources. There are numerous pictures throughout the book, all of them interesting and significant. The index covers nearly 20 pages and is un- usually complete.

Less enthusiasm may he aroused by the organization of the I,ook. Forty-six chapters are placed in nine units. These nine may not seem too many to those who like "units," but 46 chapters means considerable stopping and starting, even though the intersections are disguised by mnning the start of a chapter

on the same page as the concluding paraphernalia of its predeces- sor, and by the occasionally forced device of calling each chapter N. problem. Because each chapter is divided into 15 or 20 smaller problems, the supply of significant questions rapidly dwindles and it once or twice becomes necessary to head a chapter section with s. trivial query. Eaoh page of text is divided into two columns. A11 these devicos, diligently used, give the text a broken appearance.

Unifortunately, this broken appearance mssks any continuity that the book might otherwise show. Hence, with the exception of three chapters on the periodic table, the writing seems to be as descriptive as the pictures. With no well-developed central theme to hold student interest, the authors makeuse of numerous applications of chemical principles. They are most successful with the section on organic chemistry. This section is clear and orderly and consists of six chapters.

The rest of the book contains much information, interesting, up to date, and, generally speaking, accurate. Representative equations and calculations are chosen that should suit the ca- pabilities of most high-school students.

"Chemistry in Action" will probably enjoy some popularity for i t is a crood examule of a method that is beine tried in order . . to inrrcaserht, stud\: d vhcraistr) in high sdm<,ls. In rcnernl, rlie mrlllorl mcm? the pr~iirmt:trion of 1hi.i tlworv, tlir glvinr! o i morr npplir:tliow, C I , ~ t ic . 1w~utwi8l 01 F O ~ Y of the difE~ult~ci .

BENTLEY EDWARD8

0 . MONOMERS. SECTION II

Edited by E. R. Blout, Polaroid Corp., Cambridge, Mass., and H. Mark, Polytechnic Institute of Broolrlyn. Interscience Pub- lishers, Inc., New York, 1951. vii + 257 pp. 13 figs. 29 tables. 17 X 24.5 em. $5.

Tms second ~ection of "Monomers" follows the first in aceord- ance with the original plan and contains six chapters, the names and authors of which are: "Acrylic acid," John T. Clarke, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; "Esters of acrylic acid," John T. Clarke; "Esters of methacrylic acid other than methyl methacrylate," Richard S. Carley, Polaroid Corporation; "K- vinylcarbazole," Kurt C. Frisch, General Electric Company; "Vinyl eesters," C. E. Schildkueoht, General Aniline & Film Corporation; and "Vinylpyridine," Harry Frisch.

The substances treated can all he polymerized and therefore are of special interest st this time. The chapter on esters of acrylic acid lists 86 esters, and the chapter on esters of metha crylic acid lists 159 esters, both with 8 t ~ c t u r d formulas, physical properties, and references. All chapters contain laboratory and industrial methods of preparation, chemical and physical prop erties of the compounds, toxicity, analysis, methods of poly- merization, and an excellent list of references. Since the chapters are by different authom it is expected naturally that the writing would he different and one can he sure that i t is, although in general it is well done. The lists of references are large hut do not go beyond 1948, some not beyond 1947.

Reactions are frequently written in very good structural formulas and errors are few. The first structural formulas on page 24 of "Esters of methacrylic acid" require revision. The organic nomenclature is adequate although some errors have arept in. Phosphorus i~ frequently misspelled phosphorous.

The chapters consist of 19 to 86 pages, are printed from typo- vl.itten copy by the planograph method, and can he included in the loose-leaf binder of Section I.

On the whole this section has been written nmre carefully than the &st section and is worth while to those interested in this general suhject.

IIARRY L. FISHER SYNTI~ETIC R o s a m U I V ~ U N

R E ~ O N ~ T ~ U C T I O N FINANCE CORPOBAT~ON W m ~ l x m o w . D . C.