PROTECTIVE AND DECORATIVE COATINGS, PAINTS, VARNISAES LacQuEns, AND INKS. Volume I. Raw Materials for Var- nishes and Vehicles. Joseph 3 . Meltiello, Ph.D., Technical Director, Hilo Varnish Corporation. Editor. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York City, 1941. xii + 819 pp. 78 figs. 15 X 23 cm. $6.00. This is the first of a three-volume treatise on the subject. Vol-

ume I1 will he devoted to pigments, and Volume I11 to manu- facturing and special studies. The editor states that the purpose of the hook is to supply basic data and information pertaining to protective and decorative coatings, to serve the needs of tech- nically trained graduates who enter the industry, and to aid more experienced technologists.

Forty-five specialists in various branches of the subject have contributed as authors to the introductory survey and to the twenty-nine chapters which comprise this volume. In addition, each chapter has been reviewed by at least four other competent technologists. This should assure the reader that the informa- tion provided is well chosen and authentic.

The introduction sketches the history, present development, and orobable future of the oaint and varnish industrv. Dwinz * " oils are discussed in the first six chapters. Various natural and synthetic resins used in coatings are the subjects of sixteen chap- ters. A chapter on driers, five chapters on solvents and thinners, and a chapter on asphalt paints are provided. The final chapter deals with ethylcellulose in lacquer technology.

There are described in considerable detail the sources, methods of production and refining, properties, chemical reactions, and technical uses of various raw materials of the industrv. Tables of usefuldataare presented throughout the book.

As stated in the preface, "The paint and varnish industry. . . has been a development of the arts, but now the industry is on the threshold of becoming a science." One of the authors men- tions that a standard hook of varnish formulas was reprinted fourteen times from 1736 to 1900 with only a few minor changes, and suggests that until fairly recently a chemist or engineer was a curiosity in the industry.

The hook itself is convincing evidence of the change which has occurred. It exhibits a gratifying effort by the various authors to interpret the behavior of the materials under discussion in terms of physical and organic chemistry. I t is apparent that the industry is no longer satisfied to accept its raw materials as provided by nature, but that i t will moreand more demand prod- ucts modified or designed and synthesized to meet its particular requirements.

HARVEY A. NEVILLE Lsnrox uxrveasrr~

B B T ~ & B B U , PBNNSYLYINIA

EXPERMENTAL PWSICAL CHEMISTRY. FawingLon Daniels, 3 . H a r d Mathews, and John Warren Williams, Professors of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin. Third Edition. Mc- Graw-Hill Book Company. Inc., NewYork City and London, 1941. xvii + 460pp. 121 figs. 15 X 23 cm. $3.50. This hook has become so well known in its earlier editions that

little description is required. The same subdivision of material is retained and discussion of each experiment follows the plan used previously. The framework and about two-thirds of the better experimentsremain, yet the revisionis thoroughgoing.

There are 72 experiments (one more than before), yet there are 39 less pages than in the second edition. Since the theoretical discussion or the descriotion of the aooaratus or orocedure has. . .. in many cases, bern considerably expanded, it is evident that sections I1 and I11 on "Apparatus" and "Miscellancaus" h a w had to be exrcnavcly abbrewat-d. Thcy are still very good. hut one senses a losing struggle to serve two m a s t e r s t o have a firstslass laboratory manual which is also a fairly adequate ref- erence book of physical chemical technics. I n section I1 the authors have managed to add a bit on the electron microscope, the Tiselius cell, and isotopes. The discussions of capacity meamrements and ohotochemical technics are vew rood. A

ments have been abandoned, 11 extensively modified, and 15 have been added. Among the more notable of the latter group are photoelectric colorimeters and spcctrophotometers, distilling columns, the hydrophi] balance, moving boundary method for transference numbers, the polarograph, spectrography, and Raman spectra. I t is regrettable that the old experiments on potentiometric titrations and indicators have been set aside, particularly to make place for "Exchange Reactions with Radio- active Bromine." Since the last requires either a fair amount of radium, or a cyclotron, or an electrostatic generator to produce neutrons, it is extremely unlikely to be used as a student experi- ment. Modernization of a laboratory manual may be overdone.

The references leave little to he desired. Typography, illus- trations, andliterary styleare pleasing.

The reviewer considers this hook one of the best of its kind. I t is heartily recommended to all teachers and students. Even though another manual may he in actual use, this is a reference that should not be overlooked.

M. M. HARING UNIV~RS~TY on MARYLAND COLLBOB PAR.. MARYLAND

TEST IT YOURSELR! CHEMISTRY EXPERIMENTS WITH CON- SUMER APPLICATIONS. Lawrence F. Tuleen, Willard L. Muehl, and George 3. Porter, Instructors of Chemistry, J. Sterling Mor- ton High School and Junior College, Cicero, Illinois. Scott. Foresman and Company, Chicago, 1941. vi + 290 pp. 25 figs. 20 X 26.5 cm. $0.96. Teacher's Edition, $1.08. If some morning you come staggering into your laboratory

with a load of ice cream cones, ice cream, afew casesof soda water. coffee, headache remedies, alkalirers, and laxatives, your friends might infer that you were preparing for a large party with "hang- overs." Another possibility is that your pupils are using these interesting items of common experience as the materials for their Tssr IT YOURSELV! exercises. This laboratory manual deals entirely with substances used personally, in the home, or in the garage. The usual experiments on the preparation and proper- ties of elements and compounds are entirely omitted.

The 14 units include 70 experiments grouped under the head- ings: Measuring; Household Chemicals; Cleansers and Soft- eners; Foods; Drinks; Health; Cosmetics; Textiles; Fuels; Lubricants; Anti-freezes; Protective Coatings; Inks, Dyes, and Stains; and Soils. A typical experiment consists of 4 parts: (1) preparation of the experimenter ("mind-set" is secured by (a) interesting discussion, (b) reference to 14 modern chemistry textbooks. (6) questions); (2) experimenting to find the facts, a process pointed toward amassing comparative data; (3) con- clusions from the experiment in question form; (4) consumer ap- plications in question form, frequently involving cost calcula- tions.

This consumable manual is hound with rings which permit it to stay flat when folded to expose a single page. The user of the manual will need more items from the grocery and drug stores, but fewer of the staple chemicals. The directions call for the use of minimum amounts of materials, an economy of time, and reasoning from observations. They are expressed in clear, concise terms. No extensive extra equipment is needed. The manual has a definite place in non-college-preparatory

courses in secondary schools, for supplementary experiments in secondary schools, and'for applied chemistry in junior colleges.

A teacher's edition of the manual contains a combination manual and answer-key. This is a somewhat unusual departure from present-day publishing practices.

Acids and bases are discussed using the theory of Arrhenius. Interpretation of the experimental findings will in some cases re- auire assistance from a teacher. but. in eeneral. care is taken to . . .. avoid having the pupil draw general conclusions from partial evicfencc. Careful reading beari out the first impression--very good!

ELBERT C. WEAVER . " - chapter on the use oi indicators has been added to section I11 BOLXBLBY H I O ~ scaoo~

H n ~ ~ s a 1onros CoLLBos A comparison with the second edition shows that 14 experi- H A ~ T F O R ~ , cor*n.wrcur