January i6, 1896] 



NA TURE 



243 



others by the action of sodium hydrate in aqueous solu- 

 tion, are a striking illustration of the mobile equilibrium 

 of the typical CO group, and of the ease with which its 

 migration is determined. That changes of structure take 

 place in aqueous solution is evidenced by the phenomena 

 of rotation, and the influence of hydrolytic agents points 

 to a very direct connection with changes of "ionic" 

 equilibrium. A grouping of these relationships, with a not 

 too positive conclusion as to their significance, would 

 have added a suggestive section. 



From constitution the author proceeds to configuration, 

 the section consisting in the main of Fischer's well-known 

 tables. In the next edition these may be accompanied 

 with advantage by the mnemonic symbols recently pro- 

 posed by Lobry de Bruyn {Chetn. Zeitung, 1895, No. 75), 

 or by some similar pictorial concession to the limitations 

 of the average memor>'. In the nomenclature of the 

 group, there is the usual struggle between systematic and 

 trivial terms. There is some ambiguity created in the 

 numerical basis of the terminology, as between the 

 number of C atoms in the molecule of a simple carbo- 

 hydrate, and the number of such simple units in the 

 condensed molecule of a " polysaccharide." Thus the 

 term " triose " designates a glycerose of the dimensions 

 C3, and the sugars of dimensions 3Ce. The author 

 evidently avoids innovations in this direction, and it is 

 not for us to step in where the leaders fear to tread. In 

 the following sections, dealing with the experimental 

 methods of general significance, whereby the relation- 

 ships of constitution and configuration have been eluci- 

 dated, the treatment of the subject is of the briefest. 

 The sections which suffer most under the severe dis- 

 cipline of brevity are those devoted to "the formation 

 of the carbohydrates in nature," and to " fermentation." 

 The former is chiefly devoted to the recent work of 

 Brown and Morris, and the latter to Fischer's observ- 

 ations on the relationship of fermentation to configura- 

 tion. It is evident that much matter of the greatest 

 interest to physiologists is left unnoticed. We can only 

 regard the omission as expressing the author's judgment 

 that this province still refuses to yield to the positive 

 methods of a systematic handbook. From this con- 

 densed review of the generalities of the subject, we are 

 taken at once to the description of the individual com- 

 pounds in systematic order : glucoses, saccharoses, and 

 polysaccharides. It would be gratuitous to say anything 

 in commendation of these sections. They constitute a 

 condensed reproduction in strictly systematic order 

 of the very prolific researches of the last few years, 

 and the labour which they represent on the part 

 of the author will be fully appreciated by specialists. 

 Anything which might be said in depreciation of 

 these sections could only be translated into the com- 

 mon-place that no one can be a general specialist ; 

 and in the chemistry of the carbohydrates the special- 

 ising process has passed into the second degree, as 

 witness the literature of the sugars, of starch, of cellulose. 

 The consequent difficulty of subordinating the parts of 

 so wide a subject to the main plan has been effectually 

 overcome in the work before us. The remainder of the 

 work is devoted in order to the alcohols, to derivatives of 

 the cyclic hexamethylene, and lastly to the complex 

 NO. 1368, VOL. 53] 



groups of acids which stand in relationships of the first 

 or more remote degrees to the carbohydrates. 



The work, therefore, satisfactorily exhausts the recent 

 history of the subject in its systematic relations ; on the 

 other hand, to those who have the fear that the objectives 

 of the science in this fertile field of research are being 

 rapidly exhausted, we may speak a word of comfort in 

 the reflection Fappt'tit croit en mangeant. It is evident 

 that, although the writer limited himself to the plan of a 

 somewhat "high and dry" dictionary article, and in 

 enlarging his text to confer upon the article the standing 

 of an independent monograph, keeps well within the 

 limits of history, the subject-matter is continually break- 

 ing bounds and revealing by implication the remarkable 

 further developments which it promises on every hand. 

 The natural history of the carbon compounds remains to 

 be written. There is abundant evidence in the recent 

 history of the chemistry of the carbohydrates that this 

 new objective of the science is taking positive shape. 

 These compounds constituting in a prominent degree 

 the arena for the primary processes of natural organic 

 synthesis, it is in the order of things that the fundamental 

 relationships of these compounds should be first eluci- 

 dated as the necessary basis of plant physiology. It 

 would take us much beyond the obvious limits of the 

 matter in hand to attempt a discussion of the many 

 broad physiological issues directly raised by the results 

 of the last seven years' investigations. We would suggest 

 that the author's next volume should treat this side of the 

 subject specially and adequately. We should also suggest 

 an historical preamble and a brief survey of the chief 

 developments marking the period. With these slight 

 qualifications, we heartily commend the book to all 

 students of natural science. 



OUR BOOK SHELF. 

 Practical Inorganic Chemistry. By Dr. G. S. Turpin, 

 M.A. Pp. 158. (London: Macmillan and Co., 1895.) 

 It is gratifying to all who are interested in scientific 

 education to know that instruction in elementary science 

 in this country is steadily improving, both in methods 

 of teaching and in the subjects taught. In the spring 

 of this year, a new scheme of work for organised science 

 schools was issued by the Department of Science and 

 Art. These schools include all the best carried on in 

 connection with the Department, and for some time a 

 definite scheme of study, extending over three years, has 

 been followed in them. What the Department did re- 

 cently was to issue a remodelled scheme for such schools, 

 embodying several commendable features. Elementary 

 practical physics was introduced as an obligatory subject, 

 and a course of real chemistry was substituted for the 

 drill of test-tubing, which had gone under the name 

 of practical chemistry for so long. Dr. Turpin's book 

 has been designed to meet the improved requirements ; 

 and, as it has had a reasonable basis for its construction, 

 it possesses many good qualities. The course of work 

 described begins with weighing, measuring, the deter- 

 mination of relative density, and other elementary physical 

 principles ; then follows a chapter on mixtures and com- 

 pounds, and another on the setting-up of apparatus. 

 After this fundamental knowledge has been experimentally 

 studied, the constitution of the air is investigated, and 

 then the most important gases, and common chemical 

 compounds, form the subjects of the student's work for 

 the remainder of the course. We cannot speak too highly 



