LITERARY NOTICES. 



*33 



elements and their compounds present them- 

 selves as a periodic function of their atomic 

 weights. 



Attention must also be directed to an- 

 other feature of this book, as important as 

 it is novel in a text-book on inorganic 

 chemistry. When bodies enter into chemi- 

 cal combination, heat is almost invariably 

 evolved ; and, on the other hand, when a 

 compound is decomposed into its constit- 

 uents, heat is absorbed and transformed 

 into chemical energy. The study of these 

 phenomena, thermo-chemistry, is here in- 

 troduced in connection with the different 

 groups of the elements, thus familiarizing 

 the student from the start with one of the 

 fundamental principles of chemical science, 

 yet one which has heretofore been almost 

 entirely relegated to works on theoretical 

 chemistry. In short, Von Richter offers a 

 most clear, vivid, and interesting presenta- 

 tion of his subject. 



Van Nostrand's Science Series. Ventila- 

 tion of Buildings. By W. F. Butler. 

 Re edited and enlarged, by James L. 

 Greenleaf, C. E. Pp. 147. 



Water-Meters. By Ross E. Browne. Pp. 



89. 

 The Preservation of Timber by the Use 



of Antiseptics. By S. B. Boulton. Pp. 



223. 



Mechanical Integrators ; including the 

 Various Forms of Planimeters. By Pro- 

 fessor Henry S. H. Shaw. Pp. 212. 

 Price, 50 cents each. 



Ventilation of Buildings. This essay 

 was originally prepared for delivery before 

 an audience, which will account for the fact 

 that it contains remarks and comments on 

 subjects which can hardly be considered as 

 specially connected with the ventilation of 

 buildings, though in themselves of interest 

 and importance. It was written for English 

 conditions, and the present copy has been 

 re-edited and enlarged by Mr. Greenleaf to 

 adapt it for use in this country. The needs 

 for ventilation are first discussed, and then 

 a method i3 given for ventilating private 

 houses, showing how this method may be 

 adapted to old and to new buildings. Ap- 

 pended to the book is a reprint from " Van 

 Nostrand's Magazine " on " How much Ven- 

 tilation ? " by the editor of this issue. 



Water-Meters. A brief treatise on some 

 of the principal forms of water-meters in 



use, embracing descriptions of the promi- 

 nent features of two forms of piston-meter, 

 the Worthington and the Kennedy, and 

 three forms of velocity-meters, the Siemens 

 of English manufacture, the Siemens of Ger- 

 man manufacture, and the Hesse meter. A 

 series of tests conducted with the latter is 

 given. An appendix contains a translation 

 of an article on some forms of water-meters 

 not considered in the text previous. This 

 article is by Charles Andre and was pub- 

 lished in the " Genie Civil." The book is 

 intended mainly for hydraulic engineers. 



The Presei'valion of Timber by the Use 

 of Antiseptics. A paper prepared for the 

 Institution of Civil Engineers and discussed 

 before them ; the discussion is appended. 

 It is a careful review of the history of pre- 

 serving timber, and the chief methods 

 adapted to that end. 



Mechanical Integrators. Descriptions of 

 various devices that may be designated as 

 mechanical aids to mathematical computa- 

 tion ; chiefly such are considered as will 

 prove of value to engineers. 



Chemical Analysis for Schools and Sci- 

 ence Classes. Qualitative - Inorganic. 

 By A. H. Scott- White, B. Sc. New 

 York : Scribner & Wclford. Pp. 130. 



A concise text-book intended in the first 

 place for students fitting for examinations 

 at English colleges. Valuable hints are 

 given as to the preliminary analysis, then 

 follow schemes of examination for bases 

 and for acids, and appended are notes on 

 apparatus, on the preparation of reagents, 

 etc. A quite extensive list of the chemical 

 symbols of substances made use of in the 

 analytical work is given. These symbols 

 are arranged in alphabetical order, and, as 

 the corresponding names are also given, will 

 prove very convenient for the student. 



First Lessons in Philosophy. By M. S. 

 Handley. New York : Scribner & Wel- 

 ford. Pp. 59. 



A brief presentation, in the form of con- 

 versations, of the elementary conceptions of 

 philosophy. This book is intended to serve 

 as an introduction to metaphysics and logic. 

 It is essentially based on the writings of 

 S. H. Hodgson, principally on " Time and 

 Space," by this author. 



