R t l R H. R. Marston (pp. 557-78); "Immunochemistry." M. W.

Chase
electrons are paired and the "loosened" structure and K. Landsteiner (pp. 579-610); "The Biochemistry of Yeast,"
R >LC<, E. I. Fulmer (pp. 611-26).
in which two of the electrons are supposed t o be wpaired but t o The volume also contains author and subject indices.
have opposed spins. Since two electrons with opposed spins are,
by definition, paired, these structures are not mesmeric but
identical. A similar error is found on page 151, where it is stated
that mesmerism occurs in the oxygen molecule among .the three

structures :o:o:, :o::o:,and :0:?:.

+: Of these, the second is KuRZES LEHRBUCH DER PHYSIKALISCHBNCHEME. Dr. Her-
m a m Ulich, Professor fiir physikalische Chemie der Tech-
identical with the fmt if the two electrons shown isolated are nischen Hochschule Aachen. Theodor Steinkopff, Dresden
supposed to have opposed spins, while, on. the other hand, i t
cannot resonate with the others if those two electrons are sup-
and Leipsig. 1938. xvi -+ 315 pp. 15 X 24 cm. 12 RM.
The hook is designed t o give the student of chemistry, physics,
. . in neither case can the first and third
nosed to have oarallel soin: metallography, engineering, and biology an adequate view of
structures be reconriled with the paramagenetism of the molecule. physical chemistry in a single volume. The first chapter deals
On the other hand, the reviewer is glad to note that the difficult in adequate fashion with the gaseous, liquid, and solid stater and
distincrion between tautomerism and mesomcrism is drawn hoth introduces solutions. After this the use of thermodynamics is
clearly and correctly. emphasized in dealing with homogeneous and heterogeneous
Although there are brief chapters on applications of the theory chemical equilibria, including a brief treatment of electrochem-
of mesomerism to the question of intermolecular forces and t o istry. Chapter 111 includes a treatment of kinetics in homoge-
the relationship between constitution and color, the major por- neous and heterogeneous systems with examples of acid-base
tion of the book is concerned with applications t o the reactions of catalyzed reactions, contact catalysis, and diffusion processes.
organic molecules. I t is inevitable that in such a new and rapidly The fourth section gives an excellent picture of the forces be-
changing field there should be differences of opinion on a number tween atoms and molecules.
of points. The reviewer, for example, is unable t o agree that the The author, by a wise choice of material, has succeeded in his
author's alternating inductive effect (A-Effekt) in saturated purpose. The b w k is recommended t o teachers and students of
chains is either theoretically sound or consistent with the weight physical chemistry.
of experimental evidence. Ee is also unable to agree that the
picture of orientation of substituents in aromatic rings presented
by the anthor is as generally satisfactory as that due to Robinson
and to Ingold. I t would be a mistake, however, t o dwell a t too
great length on such points as these, which are perhap9 not yet
out of the controversial stage. I n any case, it cannot be denied
THE OXIDA~ON STATESOF THE ELEMENTS AND THEIRPOTEN-
that the book makes interesting and thought-provoking reading
for anyone who would like t o know something about the "why"
TIALS IN AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS. Wendell M. Lalimer. Ph.D..
Professor of Chemistry. University of California. Prentice
as well as the "what" of organic chemistry.
G. W. WHELAND
Hall, Inc., New York City, 1938. xiv + 352 pp. 2 figs.
Tar U N l V a n S r r ~01 CHICAOO 15 X 21 cm. $3.00.
ILL~NO~
CBICADO. T o the average chemist the most valuable part of this book
will probably be the append&; particularly the table of free
energies. This table contains over five hundred critically evalu-
ANNUALREVIEW OF BIOCHEMISTRY, Volume VIII. James ated standard free energies of formation. The appendix also
Murray Luck, Editor, and Jamcs H. C. Smith. A-iate Edi- includes summaries of Oxidation-Reduction Potentials, Eqni-
tor. Annual Reviews, Inc., Stanford University Post Office, librium Constants, the Activity of Strong Electrolytes, and
California. 1939. ix +
676 pp. 15 X 22.5 cm. 55.00. Entropy Values.
The first chapter consists of a brlef account of the general
Volume VIII of the Annual Review of Biochemistry contains
the following chapters: "Biological Oxidations and Reductions," methods of determining half cell potentials from [Link].a. measure-
M. Dixon (pp. 1-36); "Proteolytic ~nzym$s," K. Linderstr$m- ments, equilibrium studies, and thermal data. I n the second
chapter the indirect methods of obtaining half cell potentials
Lang (pp. 37-58); "Nonproteolytic Enzymes," K. MyrbEck
from such quantities as ionization potentials, electron affinities,
(pp. 59-80); "Polysaccharides and Lignin," K. Frendenberg
(pp. 81-112); "X-Ray Studies of the Structure of Compounds of energies of hydration. and lattice energies are discussed. The
Biological Interest," W. T. Astbury (pp. 113432); "The Chemis- other nineteen chapters are devoted to a critical discussion of the
try of the Acyclic Constituents of Natural Fats and Oils," R. J.. original experiments and computing methods upon which the
Anderson and L. F. Salisbury (pp. 133-54); "The Chemistry of data given in the appendix are based. I n general, the termi-
Proteins and Amino Acids," A. Tiselius (pp. 1 5 5 4 ) ; "The nology and conventions used are those of Lewis and Randall.
Chemistry and Metabolism of the Compounds of Sulfur," G. While this volume is in no sense a textbook, i t is difficult t o
Medes (pp. 18k210); "Carbohydrate Metabolism," I. L. imagine a monograph on a chemical subject of wider appeal or of
Chaikoff and A. Kaplan (pp. 211-30); "Lipid Metabolism," more general utility. A critical summary such as this book has
W. M. Sperry (pp. 23148); "Metabolism of Proteins and long been needed; it will certainly facilitate the work of many
Amino Acids," R. W. Jackson and J. P. Chandler (pp. 249-68); chemists.
"Mineral Metabolism: Calcium. Magnesium, and Phosphorus," ROBERTLIVINGSTON
UNXVBBSINOF M ~ N N ~ O T A
D. M. Greenberg (pp. 269300); "Hormones," J. Freud, E. MINN&*POL.S,MINNBSOT*
Laqueur, and 0 . Miihlbock (pp. 30148); "Choline as a Dietary
Factor," C. H. Best and J. H. Ridout (pp. 349-70); "The Water-
Soluble Vitamins," C. G. King (pp. 371414); "Fat-Soluble
Vitamins," E. M. Nelson and C. D. Tolle (pp. 415-34); "Me- GROWINGPLANTSWITHOUT SOIL. D. R. Matlin. Chemical
tabolism of Brain and Nerve." J. H. Qnastel (pp. 435-62); "The Publishing Co., Inc., New York City, 1939. 14 X 21.5 cm.
Alkaloids," L. Small (pp. 463-82); "Chemical Aspects of Photo- 137 pp. $2.00.
synthesis," H. Gaffron (483-502) ; "Mineral Nutrition of Plants,"
J. W. Shive and W. R. Robins (pp. 503-20); "Growth Hormones VOCATIONAL EDUCATION.3. D. Russell. U. S. Government
in the Higher Plants," F. W. Went (pp. 52140); "Animal Poi-
sons," C. H. Kellaway (pp. 541-56); "Ruminant Nutrition,"
Printing Office. Washington. D. C.. 1938. x +
325 pp. 14.5
X 23.5 cm. S.40.