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Colloid Chemistry, Theoretical and Applied
762
BOOK REVIEWS.
[J. F. I.
might be expected, new products and their companies appear in the new issue while at the same time old familiar ones have disappeared. The Classified Index of Chemicals and Raw Materials seems very comprehensive in scope. A person may discover the one manufacturer of Methy-3phenyl-a: 3-dibromopropionate or sixty-five who sell acid sulfuric. The Chemical Manufacturers Index is especially interesting. Not only are the products of a company listed but the properties and uses or applications of each chemical are given. This provision should act to eliminate much preliminary correspondence between a prospective purchaser and the company. The volume would not be complete without a " Technical and Scientific Books Section." In this section a very efficient system of classification is to be found. For publications on any particular subject just the authors' names are listed under the subject headings. The Subject Index is then followed by a section where approximately 26oo books are listed according to their authors. A catalog of this type should be of considerable value to anyone concerned with the manufacture or utilization of chemical products. It is difficult to acquire a realization of its full value from a mere casual examination. T. K. CLEVELAND. COLLOID CHEMISTRY, THEORETICAL AND APPLIED. Collected and Edited by Jerome Alexander, Vol. III, second series on technological applications, 734 pages, illustrations, I5.5 x23.5 cms. New York, The Chemical Catalog Co., Inc., I93I. Price $II.SO. This volume continues the symposium on the technical applications of colloid chemistry and again it is rich in information and suggestions. The four volumes have contained 2o2 papers by almost as many people representing 23 nations. This has insured a diversity of viewpoint With consequent breadth of vision. M. Samec contributes an extremely interesting review of the colloid chemistry of cellulose itself with a list of 835 references. This serves as an introduction to the colloid chemistry of various carbohydrates and materials in which they are the principal constituents, including wood, paper, cellulose esters and smokeless powders, candy, sugar, and starches. The theory of dyeing is discussed from three different viewpoints by Georgievies, Harrison, and Bancroft. The sizing and finishing of textiles receives brief treatment by Olney. The ever fascinating properties of rubber and their changes under various treatments are covered in chapters by Spear and Dinsmore. The use of rubber latex as such has seen remarkable development in the past few years and has resulted in an even greater interest. An interesting thirty page summary of this is contributed by van Rossem. All of us have benefited by the work which has been done on compounding rubber and this adds interest to a chapter on the use of carbon black by Shepard. Another discussion is on the theory of tanning; the participants are Procter, Stiasny, and McLaughlin. In view of the extreme complexity and variability of leather it is surprizing to find how much has been done to put the old art of tanning on a scientific basis. Gelatin derived from leather is an important raw material for photographic supplies so it is perhaps a more natural step to photography and photochemistry than appears at the first glance. Moquin's article on color
Dec., 1932.]
BOOK REVIEWS.
763
photography points out the ingenious methods used to produce pictures in natural colors. The chemistry of photography has been so carefully and extensively studied that relatively much more is known about it than about the general subject of photochemistry. Lfippo-Cramer and Sheppard respectively point out numerous connections with colloid chemistry. The fact that casein can be dispersed in water with the aid of certain salts and alkalies and later brought into an insoluble condition leads to its use in adhesives, coatings, paints, plastics and insecticide sprays. Silk can be dispersed in a similar fashion and then again aggregated by proper treatment. The eventual commercial development of these reactions is predicted by yon Weimarn. The production and use of materials for forming surfaces which will protect and beautify materials is a study in colloidal systems. Paint, varnish, synthetic resins, water japans, and artificial mother-of-pearl are all given a place. A different type of surface is formed by the color lakes used where cloth does not dye readily. Still another colloidal method of protection lies in " t h e foam method of extinguishing fire." " A knowledge of the colloid chemistry of bakery products such as bread, cake, cookies, doughnuts, etc., and of their ingredients, has helped to solve many perplexing problems." " B u t t e r and margarine being solidified emulsions, and involving in their production the special treatment of milk (itself a complex colloid system), present many interesting problems in colloid chemistry and physics." Frey and Landis and Clayton thus furnish our bread and butter while the jelly is due to " t h e peculiarly interesting substance called pectin to which the extracts of certain fruits owe their jelly-forming properties." If you are not satisfied with milk, "in beer brewing the chemistry of interfaces is all important." Besides, "cleansing processes are triply colloidal." "There i s " - - " a complex interplay of fabric colloids, soil colloids, and soap colloids in washing." " I f soaps are typical colloids, so is dirty linen." Old and new detergents both receive their share of attention. "Solidified" alcohol was first mainly considered as a fuel with some detergent uses. More recently it has been found more interesting in medicinal and toilet preparations. Some colloidal aspects of water carried trade wastes and sewage are summarized by Buswell to complete this volume which is the last of the set. Chemists in general and colloid chemists in particular owe Jerome Alexander a debt of gratitude for undertaking the collection and editing of all the material in the four volumes. His extreme care is clearly illustrated by the negligible number of errors. ~,VM. STERICKER.
ACTUALIT~S SCIENTIFIQUES ET INDUSTRIELLES X X X I , Expos6s de Physique Th~orique publi6s sous la direction de M. Louis DE BRO~Lm, Professeur ~ la Sorbonne, Laureat du Prix Nobel. I, Sur une forme plus restrictive des Relations d'Incertitude d'apr~s MM. Landau et Peierls. Par Louis de Broglie. Paris, Hermann et Cie, I932. Price 6 francs. The present pamphlet is the report of a critical analysis of a recent memoir by MM. Landau and Pelerls which appeared in Zeltsehrift fur Physik, Band 59, page 56 et seq. In this suggestive work which originates from the initiative of
BOOK REVIEWS.
[J. F. I.
might be expected, new products and their companies appear in the new issue while at the same time old familiar ones have disappeared. The Classified Index of Chemicals and Raw Materials seems very comprehensive in scope. A person may discover the one manufacturer of Methy-3phenyl-a: 3-dibromopropionate or sixty-five who sell acid sulfuric. The Chemical Manufacturers Index is especially interesting. Not only are the products of a company listed but the properties and uses or applications of each chemical are given. This provision should act to eliminate much preliminary correspondence between a prospective purchaser and the company. The volume would not be complete without a " Technical and Scientific Books Section." In this section a very efficient system of classification is to be found. For publications on any particular subject just the authors' names are listed under the subject headings. The Subject Index is then followed by a section where approximately 26oo books are listed according to their authors. A catalog of this type should be of considerable value to anyone concerned with the manufacture or utilization of chemical products. It is difficult to acquire a realization of its full value from a mere casual examination. T. K. CLEVELAND. COLLOID CHEMISTRY, THEORETICAL AND APPLIED. Collected and Edited by Jerome Alexander, Vol. III, second series on technological applications, 734 pages, illustrations, I5.5 x23.5 cms. New York, The Chemical Catalog Co., Inc., I93I. Price $II.SO. This volume continues the symposium on the technical applications of colloid chemistry and again it is rich in information and suggestions. The four volumes have contained 2o2 papers by almost as many people representing 23 nations. This has insured a diversity of viewpoint With consequent breadth of vision. M. Samec contributes an extremely interesting review of the colloid chemistry of cellulose itself with a list of 835 references. This serves as an introduction to the colloid chemistry of various carbohydrates and materials in which they are the principal constituents, including wood, paper, cellulose esters and smokeless powders, candy, sugar, and starches. The theory of dyeing is discussed from three different viewpoints by Georgievies, Harrison, and Bancroft. The sizing and finishing of textiles receives brief treatment by Olney. The ever fascinating properties of rubber and their changes under various treatments are covered in chapters by Spear and Dinsmore. The use of rubber latex as such has seen remarkable development in the past few years and has resulted in an even greater interest. An interesting thirty page summary of this is contributed by van Rossem. All of us have benefited by the work which has been done on compounding rubber and this adds interest to a chapter on the use of carbon black by Shepard. Another discussion is on the theory of tanning; the participants are Procter, Stiasny, and McLaughlin. In view of the extreme complexity and variability of leather it is surprizing to find how much has been done to put the old art of tanning on a scientific basis. Gelatin derived from leather is an important raw material for photographic supplies so it is perhaps a more natural step to photography and photochemistry than appears at the first glance. Moquin's article on color
Dec., 1932.]
BOOK REVIEWS.
763
photography points out the ingenious methods used to produce pictures in natural colors. The chemistry of photography has been so carefully and extensively studied that relatively much more is known about it than about the general subject of photochemistry. Lfippo-Cramer and Sheppard respectively point out numerous connections with colloid chemistry. The fact that casein can be dispersed in water with the aid of certain salts and alkalies and later brought into an insoluble condition leads to its use in adhesives, coatings, paints, plastics and insecticide sprays. Silk can be dispersed in a similar fashion and then again aggregated by proper treatment. The eventual commercial development of these reactions is predicted by yon Weimarn. The production and use of materials for forming surfaces which will protect and beautify materials is a study in colloidal systems. Paint, varnish, synthetic resins, water japans, and artificial mother-of-pearl are all given a place. A different type of surface is formed by the color lakes used where cloth does not dye readily. Still another colloidal method of protection lies in " t h e foam method of extinguishing fire." " A knowledge of the colloid chemistry of bakery products such as bread, cake, cookies, doughnuts, etc., and of their ingredients, has helped to solve many perplexing problems." " B u t t e r and margarine being solidified emulsions, and involving in their production the special treatment of milk (itself a complex colloid system), present many interesting problems in colloid chemistry and physics." Frey and Landis and Clayton thus furnish our bread and butter while the jelly is due to " t h e peculiarly interesting substance called pectin to which the extracts of certain fruits owe their jelly-forming properties." If you are not satisfied with milk, "in beer brewing the chemistry of interfaces is all important." Besides, "cleansing processes are triply colloidal." "There i s " - - " a complex interplay of fabric colloids, soil colloids, and soap colloids in washing." " I f soaps are typical colloids, so is dirty linen." Old and new detergents both receive their share of attention. "Solidified" alcohol was first mainly considered as a fuel with some detergent uses. More recently it has been found more interesting in medicinal and toilet preparations. Some colloidal aspects of water carried trade wastes and sewage are summarized by Buswell to complete this volume which is the last of the set. Chemists in general and colloid chemists in particular owe Jerome Alexander a debt of gratitude for undertaking the collection and editing of all the material in the four volumes. His extreme care is clearly illustrated by the negligible number of errors. ~,VM. STERICKER.
ACTUALIT~S SCIENTIFIQUES ET INDUSTRIELLES X X X I , Expos6s de Physique Th~orique publi6s sous la direction de M. Louis DE BRO~Lm, Professeur ~ la Sorbonne, Laureat du Prix Nobel. I, Sur une forme plus restrictive des Relations d'Incertitude d'apr~s MM. Landau et Peierls. Par Louis de Broglie. Paris, Hermann et Cie, I932. Price 6 francs. The present pamphlet is the report of a critical analysis of a recent memoir by MM. Landau and Pelerls which appeared in Zeltsehrift fur Physik, Band 59, page 56 et seq. In this suggestive work which originates from the initiative of