BOOK REVIEWS

---

BOOK REVIEWS DEBT AND PRODUCTION. T H E OPERATING CHARACTERISTICS O F OUR INDUSTRIAL ECONOMY. By Bassett Jones. 147 pages. The John Day Company, Inc., 386 Fourth Ave., New Pork. Price, paper $2.00; cloth, $2.50.

THEtumult and the shouting of the technocrats having subsided, it is a pleasure to turn to a rational, stimulating discussion of our industrial system by an engineer of unquestioned repute. No ready-made solution of the economic puzzle is presented, but an “exacting reexamination of the bases for politicaleconomy” and a novel method of approach, the application of which may disclose the characteristics of the industrial machine and thus enable its smooth operation. The novelty in the approach lies in eliminating factors dependent on human volitions and emotional reactions, in retaining only factors capable of measurement, in adopting the point of view of production rather than consumption, in eliminating superficial temporary fluctuations in the time-quantity relations involved and considering solely the longtime basic trends. The acceleration in the volume of production is indicated as having reached a maximum and to have begun to decrease in 1910, whereas the quantity of debt continued to grow with a constant acceleration towards insupportable magnitudes. The underlying principle is laid down that ‘‘the possible gronth of debt is a direct function of the growth of production,” and a definite relation is suggested between the quantity of debt and the volume of production which must characterize an effectively reorganized debt structure. The book is divided into two parts: an introduction prepared with the intention of rendering the author’s conclusions into plain English, and an article giving the mathematical processes upon which the conclusions are based. The volume appears valuable either a‘s an approach to the whole subject for the scientific tyro, or as a new viewpoint for the individual well versed in economics. A. G. PETERKIN ALLEN’S COMMERCIAL ORGANIC ANALYSIS. VOLUME X. Edited by C. Ainsworth Mitchell. 5th edition. 817 xi pages. P. Blakiston’s Sons & Co., Inc., 1012 Walnut St., Philadelphia, 1933. Price, $7.50.

+

WITH this volume, the fifth edition is completed. FVhile each volume has its own subject index, Volume X concludes with a general subject index of Volumes I-X, inclusive, comprising 252 pages. The chapters presented are: Hemoglobin and Its Derivatives, by J. A. Gardner and G. A. Buckmaster; Albuminoids or Scleroproteins, by Jerome Alexander; Structural Proteins, by W. P. Dreaper and R. H. Marriott; Examination of Foodstuffs for Vitamins, by J. C. Drumniond and Katharine Coward; Hormones, by I(. Culhane and S. W. F. Underhill; Identification of Unknown Woods and Charcoals, by J. C. Maby; Pectic Substances, by H. W. Buston. In general, the contents of the chapters include much more than is indicated by their titles. For example, “Hemoglobin and Its Derivatives” includes discussions of: the nature of blood; the reaction of blood; corpuscle counts; size of corpuscles; blood laking; analyses, and chemical and optical properties of individual blood constituent,s and their derivatives; the decomposition products of hemoglobin, including the synthesis of hemin and the blood porphyrins; a rather detailed discussion of the medico-legal examination of blood and blood stains; immunological reactions of blood and a determination of blood groups. Because of the intense research activit,y in t,he neir-er fields of the vitamins and hormones, the chapters on these topics can be regarded as authoritative for only a short time. This is recognized by the respective authors. I t is probably inevitable that, in a revision of a work as old as this, some views and statements derived from the older literature will be retained in spite of the fact that they are either misleading or incorrect. Thus (page 258) volatile fatty acids are said to be formed when kerat,ins are hydrolyzed by acids. Unquestionably these are derived from contaminating fats and not from the pure keratins. Considerable space is occasionally given to a discussion of “compounds” whose existence in the light of modern research is highly problematical. For example,

nearly 2 pages (285-6) are devoted to a consideration of “lanuginic acid,” a name given in 1889 to a preparation secured by the partial hydrolysis of wool with barium hydroxide. Unquestionably this is a mixture of peptones and not a definite compound. A number of similar examples could be cited. By and large, however, there is little to criticize and m m h to commend in this volume. The typography is excellent. Only two obvious mis rints were observed. At the bottom of page 282 the formula &H17, etc., shou!d read C4;Hil,etc.; in footnote 2 at the bottom of page 293 “lexuronic acid” should read “hexuronic acid.” Incidentally, since this footnote was added, it has been demonstrated t,hat vitamin C is not a true “hexuronic acid” but. is in reality 2-keto-3,4-dihydroxy-5-ethyleneglycofurylidene-3,4 (ascorbic acid). The volumes of this edition should be in all libraries which number chemists among their patrons. Ross AIKENGORTNER CHEMICAL REFINING OF PETROLEUM. B y Vladimir A . Kalichevsky and Bert Allen Stagner. A. C. S . Monograph Series No. 63. 451 ages. The Chemical Catalog Company, Inc., 330 W. 42nd i t . , New York, 1933. Price, 87.00.

IN GENERAL the book is a compilation of some of the chemical processes in use or those proposed for the chemical treatment of petroleum products. The introduction briefly reviews the chemistry of the main hydrocarbon groups and some of their derivat’ives which are present or believed to be present in petroleum. The following subjects are discussed in the 13 chapters: Treatment with Sulfuric Acid, Sulfuric Acid Sludge, Treatment with Alkaline Reagents, Sweetening Operations, Refining by Adsorption, Use of Solvents in Refining, Sulfur Reduction in Light Petroleum, Detonation, Oxidation and Reduction Reactions, Inhibitors, Gums in Cracked Products, Deterioration of Lubricating and Similar Oils, and Miscellaneous Processes and Reagents. The book appears to be largely predicated on literature search. In some cases undue weight is given to methods which have not been thoroughly tried, resulting in an improper evaluation of the accepted methods. In some instances erroneous statements.are made regarding practice; for exam le, on page 35 it is said that temperatures in excess of 120” to 130F F. are seldom used in refining lamp oils. This is generally true on Eastern and Midcontinent oils, but it has been current practice for a long time in California to refine kerosene distillates with fuming sulfuric acid a t about 180” F., using approximately 3 pounds of fuming sulfuric acid per gallon of stock. Many of the conclusions of the authors appear to be gratuitous in the sense that there is no experimental evidence to back them up and the question discussed appears to be relatively unimportant. For example, on page 76 it is doubtful whether the aut,hors’ statement that, small amounts of acid left in the oil may assist in the action of clay by activating it. Such acid is usually in a sludge-like form, and clays generally require special treatment with fresh acid to activate them. In regard to treatment of illuminating oils and testing them, the relationship of the illuminating power of kerosene to the physical properties as shown by the authors has many exceptions. They state that the degree of refining of a sample of kerosene can be determined by tests other t,han the actual burning test; a description of these tests should have been given, as this is not common knowledge. In regard to the sulfur question, the authors’ conclusions appear someiyhat contradictory. For example, on page 43 they state t’hat t’he research of Diggs and others indicates that about a 0.1 per cent maximum limit of the sulfur content of gasoline as now required in the governmental specification is a fair allowance; on page 268 they say that becmse of an insufficient study of the effect of the sulfur on an automobile there is serious question in the minds of refiners whether it is advisable to refine the motor fuel t’o 0.1 per cent sulfur, and as a result much gasoline is sold bearing considerably more than 0.1 per cent sulfur. In accordance with published ext’ensive statistical investigations the authors might have added that a large amount of gasoline containing considerably more than 0.1 per cent sulfur is being sold and used without harmful effects, and that the experimental work supporting the statement that the governmental specification of 0.1 per cent is a fair allowance is scanty. The footnote on page 146 implies that the description of the process for recovery and regeneration of lead sulfide by Morrell

1407

1408

IN DUSTR IAL A N D

E NGI

and Bergman [Chem. & Met. Eng., 35, 210, 291, 350 (1928)l is based on U. S. Patent 1,667,550 (April 24, 1928), whereas this process and type of apparatus described by these authors were employed before this patent was issued, and the process was given in an earlier article by Morrell and Faragher [IxD.EKG.CHEM., 19, 1045 (1927)l. In view of the large amount of published work on inhibitors, Chapter 10 appears to be somewhat scanty, although a large number of these articles are of recent date. Chapter 13 on Miscellaneous Refining Processes and Reagents also appears to be quite meager, especially from the literature viewpoint. Discounting a few of the authors’ conclusions, which in some cases depend upon the personal viewpoint, the book is a good addition to the literature of petroleum technology. J. C. MORRELL T H E ROMAKCE O F RESEARCH. B y L. V . Redman and A . V . H . Mory. A Century of Progress Series. 149 pages. The Williams & Wilkins Co., Baltimore, 1933. Price, $1.00.

THE philosophic treatment of this number of A Century of Progress Series has added much to the readability of the volume. The authors reflect many years of contact with research and development and so lend authority to their discussion of the theme. The first 5 short chapters span the time preceding our Century of Progress (up to 1833) and present the first requisite of a research worker-namely, his ability to differentiate between fact and fancy. In the first chapter, on the viewpoint of research, we find such sentences as “Experience alone was not only too slow but also much less trustworthy (than experiment),” and “The true experimenter never permits pride of opinion to outweigh love of truth.” Other. early chapters on The Long Climb of Freedom of Thought, From Darkness into Dawn, and Enslaving the Inanimate, give the interesting story of how what we know today as science was developed and began to be applied in the industrial revolution. The discussion of research in our Century of Progress begins with the sixth chapter and continues to the end of the book. Here are emphasized the contributions of the genius of individuals, the results of organization for research, the importance of new knowledge gained without thought of material reward, and the vast increase of power that has come from a deeper understanding of what is about us. “Materials hold the key to future progress, because the architect, the engineer, the manufacturer, the agriculturalist, the physician, is limited in his accomplishment by the character of his available materials, whether structural, energy-producing, nutritive, or curative.” The concluding pages discuss the economics of research and development (Bread upon the Water), and emphasis is placed upon the necessity for our social order, for our social sciences, to catch up with the progress that has been made by things material. We predict for this little book a welcome in diverse places, and both interest and information for readers with a variety of tastes.

N E E R I N G C II E M I S T R Y

Vol. 25, No. 12

TRANSACTIONS OF T H E INSTITUTION OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERS. VOLUME 10. 191 pages. Institution of Chemical Engineers, Abbey House, Westminster, London, S. W. 1, 1932. OURsister society dignifies its tenth birthday with a volume of chemical engineering documents which sets a high standard for technical literature both as to content and excellence of presentation. The six major papers which constitute the principal contribution of these transactions to chemical engineering theory and practice are: Production of Hydrogen and Oxygen by Electrolysis a t High Pressures, Thermal Insulation, Coal Distillation in Internally Heated Rotary Retorts, Fluid Friction and Its Relation to Heat Transfer, Chemical Engineering and the Aircraft Industry, and Testing of Chemical Plant (with special attention to evaporators and stills). Especially impressive are the theories developed in the paper on fluid friction, which includes a better-than-average presentation of Reynolds’ analogy, followed by a discussion of the PrandtlTaylor modifications and summary of much important work, such as that of Stanton. The review of theory and practice in the paper on testing stills is really a complete treatise on column design and includes statements of various methods of calculation, old and new, such as those of Sorel, Savarit, Hausbrand, McCabe and Thiele, Fouch6, Brown, Lewis and eo-workers, and efficiencies on the basis of Lewis and Wilde, as well as Peters. A number of valuable nomographs are included. Papers read before the graduates and students section are abstracted in Appendix I, with the exception of the prize-winning paper (which appears in full) on Some Sidelights on the Heat Transfer Problem. It is apparent that the student papers are of wide scope and that thorough and detailed study is involved in each. One is impressed by the liberal use of good illustrations and flow sheets throughout the book, and by the thorough discussion which follows each of the major papers. The latter is frequently as illuminating as the paper to which it refers, and its reduction to “gist” form and type of editing makes for easy reading. The volume deserves careful perusal by all chemical engineers. LAURENB. HITCHCOCK ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES OF GLASS. By J. T.Littleton and G . W . Morey. 184 pages, 28 tables, 69 figures. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 1933. Price, $3.00.

CHAPTER 1 builds a background for the reader not familiar with glass technology. Included are short descriptions of glass making and annealing, a survey of the oxide compositions of some fifty-five commercial and optical glasses, and a more extended consideration of the physical Y p e r t i e s of glass. Where possible the at,tempt is made to s ow how these properties depend upon glass composition. Portions of the systems NazO-SiOz and Na?O-CaO-SiOz bearing upon commercial glasses are treated in some detail with adequate phase-equilibrium diagrams. The authors deplore constantly the lack or inadequacy of glass comin the literature relating to physical and electrical ORGANIC SYNTHESES. VOLUME XIII. Wallace H. positions properties, thus making deductions impossible. One wishes Carothers, editor-in-chief. 119 pages. John Wiley and Sons, therefore that the composition, for instance, of Pyrex electricalInc., New York, and Chapman and Hall, Ltd., 11 Henrietta resistant glass might have been included in this book. St., London, R. C. 2, 1933. Price, $1.75 net. In the chapters on electrical conductivity, dielectric constant, dielectric loss, and dielectric strength the treatment of each propTHISvolume contains thirty preparations in the style that has erty is fairly uniform and will appeal to the student and person been maintained in the series. Some of them are: allantoin, not familiar with them. Definitions are given, equations are azelaic acid, benzalphthalide, P-benzoylpropionic acid, N- usually worked out, symbols are adequately defined, theories of butyl borate, isobutyl bromide, butyroin, m-chlorobenzaldehyde, historical and present interest are given and critically evaluated. 1,4dibenzoylbutane, 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine, diphenyl tri- Methods of measurement with diagrammatic “hook-up” sketches ketone, ethoxyacetic acid, fluorobenzene, p-fluorobenzoic acid, are also included. Data taken from the literature are tabulated and given in curves which are admirably drawn. The authors in methoxyacetonitrile, methyl iodide, a-methyl-or-phenylhydrazine, methyl isopropyl ketone, l-nitro-2-acetylaminonaphthalene, their preface state, “an attempt is made throughout to emphasize the deficiency of the existing data and the limitations of our pres2-nitro- and 2-aminofluorene, 1-nitro-2-naphthol, N-nitrosomethylaniline, nitrosomethylurethane, perbenzoic acid, o- ent knowledge in the hopes that further research will be forthcoming.” The authors have maintained this stand and cannot and p-propiophenol, o-toluamide, sym-tribromobenzene, tricarbomethoxymethane, veratric aldehyde. As shown, a number be criticized for not giving their opinions concerning conclusions, relationships, and theories developed by others. Thus, in conof compounds of biological interest are included. These volumes have performed a real service to chemists in sidering Fulda’s work on surface resistivity, it is concluded that making available tested methods which can be relied upon to equilibrium was not attained. The work of Moon and Norcross give the results claimed. As the preparations are contributed, on the relation between breakdown voltage, thickness, and temthe responsibility for them rests with the contributors. Every perature is reviewed, and the conclusion reached that the three organic chemist should feel under obligation to improve the regions of breakdown are apparently not so well defined as the state of the art by devising new and better methods of making straight lines in the graph would indicate. The authors favor organic compounds. This series offers a unique opportunity for the ionization-by-impact theory of dielectric failure in glass. The book considers glass only, for no comparisons are made publishing such methods. The editing has been well done as would be expected from with any other material. I t is a pleasure to welcome and t o L. NAVIAB recommend this critical study. E. EMMET REID those responsible for it.

December, 1933

I S D U S T R I A L I N D E N G I N E E R I N G C H E 11I S T R Y

PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL EXAMIN.4TION OF PAINTS, VARNISHES. LACQUERS, AND COLORS. By Henry A . Gardner. 6th’ editio;. 1500 pages. Institute 6f Paint & Varnish Research, 2201 New York Ave., N. W., Washington, D. C., 1933. Price, $11.00, postpaid.

THEfirst edition of this well-known book appeared in 1922 Kith 220 pages of text proper, bound with a number of Federal Specifications. The sixth edition which appeared in October, 1933, contains 1174 pages of text, 350 pages of reprints of all American Society for Testing Materials standard and tentative specifications, and methods of test of materials of interest to the paint, varnish, and lacquer industry, and an index of 16 unnumbered pages. The more than fivefold increase in size of this book with accompanying increase in value of the contents in a period of eleven years is a monument to the indefatigable industry of the author. A hypercritical reader may object to the bizarre binding, and will find some repetitions and other evidences of hasty preparation, but such criticisms are trivial and unwarranted when one considers the fact that in no other volume can one find anything like the amount of information on all kinds of tests for the types of materials covered. The general simplicity and clearness of language, the excellent paper, clear readable type, and unusual excellence of the hundreds of clearly reproduced drawings, curves, and photographs make the volume unusually attractive. The book is so full of valuable information that it is difficult to comment on particular sections. Attention will be called only to the Data Table of Synthetic Resins, pages 753 t o 778, Lacquer Liquids, pages 969 to 984, and the Pigment Index Supplement, pages 1059 to 1174. This volume is to be recommended as the most useful book that the reviewer knows for anyone interested in the testing of paint, PERCY H. WALKER varnish, and lacquer materials. INDUSTRIAL CHEMISTRY. AN ELEMESTARY TREATISE FOR T H E STUDENT AND GENERAL READER. B y Emil Raymond Riegel. Revised edition. 784 pages. The Chemical Cataloe Comoanv. “ , Inc.. 330 W. 42nd St.. New York. 1933. Price, $6:00. I

1409

and their application; physical, mechanical, thermal, optical, magnetic, and electrical properties, in most cases in considerable detail, including tables and diagrams; electrochemistrv, qualitative and quantitative determinations; alloys; and finally the physics and chemistry of each of the multitude of known compounds of the element. The ease with which the literature on any property or compound of tungsten may be run down is astonishing, thanks to the simple, clearly printed and arranged table of contents. It is surprising to find no mention under “Aufschluss der Erze” of the fusion of low-grade and contaminated ferberite and wolframite ores and tailings with the proper mixture of salt and soda, a process which has been extensively used in the United States, or of the remarkable fact that phosphates, arsenates, antimonates, etc., may be quickly and efficiently precipitated from sodium tungstate solutions by boiling them with magnesium chloride and a freshly made ammoniacal solution containing a hydrazine salt, this latter obtained by mixing concentrated ammonia and sodium hypochlorite (from soda and bleaching powder). Any important facts inadvertently omitted will no doubt be included J. B. EBELEY in future supplements. STATISTISCHE ZUSAMMENSTELLUNGEN UBER ALUMINIUM, BLEI, KUPFER, NICKEL, QUECKSILBER, SILBER, ZINK UND ZIKN. 34th annual issue, 1922-1932. 99 pages,155 X 293 mm. Metallgesellschaft AkXXIX tiengesellschaft, Frankfurt a.M., Germany, 1933.

+

THIScompilation of the statistics of the production, consumption, import duties on the crude metals in the principal countries, selling prices, and average prices of the most important nonferrous metals for each of the years for the decade 1922 to 1932 is of its usual thoroughness and completeness. The bulk of the publication is taken up by statistics for the production and consumption of each of the eight enumerated metals in various countries. At the end is a series of tables for each of the metals giving prices in Germany, New York, and London in marks per kg. and in D. D. BEROLZHEIMER dollars per 1000 kg.

I

REIGEL has thoroughly revised and in fact almost rewritten

this admirable textbook which first appeared some four and onehalf years ago. More than 130 pages have been added. New chapters include: Water and Sewage, Phosphate, Organic Chemicals, and Synthetic Resins. The chapters have been regrouped and many completely rewritten. Obsolete and unimportant processes have been for the most part omitted. Each chapter is replete with up-to-date facts and figures. Most of -the illustrations are line drawings and diagrams which make for .an easy understanding of the text. The book is well annotated, and each chapter is followed by references to the patent Iiterature, a number of pertinent problems, and a well-thought-out list ot reading references. The volume is concisely written and should appeal to the teacher of industrial chemistry as a textbook for his course. The lay reader and the chemist who wish to keep up to date on modern chemical technology will find it readable, understandable, and informative. It is well printed and bound and is remarkably free from typographical errors. The book is especially recommended :for college courses in industrial chemistry and should find a ,welcome place in the libraries of chemists and technologists. CHAB.W-.C m o 6GMELINS HANDBUCH DER ANORGANISCHEN CHEMIE. 8th edition. SYSTEM-NUMMER 54. WOLFRAM. Edited by Deutsche Chemische Gesellschaft. 397 pages. Verlag Chemie, G. m. b. H., Berlin, 1933. Price, 64 marks. ‘THEsection on tungsten which corresponds to an eighth edition $of the old ‘(Gmelin-Kraut,” covers the detailed abstracting of the literature up to April, 1933. There have already appeared