4S8 



KNOWLEDGE. 



December, 1911. 



General Physics for Students. — By 

 pages. 285 illustrations. 



l.Macniillan & Co. Prico 7 6.) 



F.invix Hi)Si:r. Cti2 

 in. \ 4i-iii. 



Mr. Edser's physical books, those on light and heat, are 

 already very well linown and much admired for their clearness 

 and arrangement. The bool; on the Fundamental Properties 

 of Matter now under review is part of the same series of 

 books and is even of higher standard than the other two text 

 books. It is a new book — that is to say. it contains material 

 which w-as not to be found in any other book. Mr. P^dser has 

 collected together a great number of physical facts and prin- 

 ciples into a small volume of six hundred pages, and arranged 

 them so adroitly that there is neither cramping nor loss of 

 clearness. .A good book for the advanced student and research 

 student on the properties of matter has long been required ; 

 the former working for examination had no time to consult 

 the larger treatises, such as Chwolson's Treatise, and it was 

 often not worth the research student's while to wade through 

 a large mass of literature after a small matter. Mr. l-^dser's 

 excellent book supplies the need. The chapters on the spin- 

 ning top. on gravitation, on surface tension, and on the 

 molecular structure of gases will be of great interest to all 

 students of physics. 



" The student who possesses a sound knowledge of the 

 elements of algebra, geometry, and trigonometry will find his 

 acquirements are sufficient to enable him to read the book 

 without referring to mathematical treatises " : this sentence is 

 taken from the preface, and the author has been led thereby 

 to work all proofs from first principles and to avoid the calculus 

 as far as possible ; this is a pity, perhaps, because the calculus 

 simplifies many arguments, and most students of physics have 

 at some time or other to get famili.ir with it : and it is somewhat 

 irksome for the more advanced student to work through a 

 proof from first principles each time. To some it is more 

 pleasant to be led up to a subject from the mathematical 

 standpoint and then to compare the experimental with the 

 inductive results ; others care to do the experiment, form a 

 mechanical picture of what is happening and then to apply 



mathematics to get that picture into a more exact representa- 

 tion of what is occurring. Mr. Edser seems to prefer along 

 with many other physicists, the former plan ; the latter would 

 appear the more natural to the elementary student. Only in a 

 few places in this book does this tendency become apparent, 

 and on the whole it is exceedingly clearly written and 

 arranged. 



The printing and diagrams are very good : there are very 

 few misprints (on page 14 "melting" occurs instead of 

 resulting). 



The book is bound to please everyone in whose hands it 

 finds itself, and is a valuable asset and help to those studying 

 natural phenomena. i f~ r F 



lUnniuiation : Its Distrihiitlnn and Mcasitreinent. — By 



.'\lexander P. Trotter. 292 pages. 209 illustrations. 



0-in. X S'l-in. 



(Macniillan & Co. Price <S d.) 



This book does not deal with the many illamiuants of the 

 present day, but rather with the methods by which they may 

 be used to the best advantage, an equally important study. 

 In order to be able to determine quantitatively the effect of an 

 illnminant at any particular position it is necessary to be able 

 to measure the intensity of the light at that place. Mr. 

 Trotter has himself devised many useful forms of apparatus 

 to attain this end and describes in addition all the other forms 

 of apparatus in use. The book is a mine of information for 

 the user of the Photometer. The author has worked up the 

 history of this most important class of instrument and has 

 presented a very complete account of its various forms. The 

 three chapters on the distribution of illumination contain a 

 great deal of useful original work which will be of great value 

 to the engineer engaged in the proper lighting of buildings and 

 streets. 



The book is spli inlidl\- i^ll-^tr.lted and is printed in very 

 clear t\pc ; while it contains a valuable bibliography at the 

 end. It will be indispensable to the user of photometers and 

 to the iUiiniinating engineer. A C C F 



NOTICES. 



CHRISTMAS GIFTS.— In view of the approach of the 

 ■^'ule-tide gift season we would direct the attention of our 

 readers to the fact that most scientific and optical instruments, 

 including cameras, lend themselves admirably to the material 

 expression of goodwill among relatives and friends, and that 

 such, chosen with regard to the particular interests of the 

 recipients, would be sure to find a warm welcome with them. 



PHYSICAL TR.AINING .AT BIRMINGH.-\M.— We 

 recently had the pleasure of seeing the work which is carried on 

 at the .Anstey Phvsical Training College, near Birmingham, and 

 we hope soon to public an article dealing with the scientific 

 side of Swedish Physical F^xercises, by Miss .'\nstey, the 

 Principal and F'onnder of the College. There is no quicker 

 way to Birmingham than by the two-hour expresses of the 

 London and North-Western Railway. No less than forty trains 

 run daily between Euston and Broad Street and New Street — 

 a most frequent service. 



WELLCOME TROPICAL RESEARCH LABOR- 

 .\T( )RIF;S. — Messrs. Bailliere.Tindall and Cox, the well-known 

 medical publishers, announce that they have been authorised 

 by the Department of Education of Sudan (jovernment, to 

 publish immediately the F'ourth Report of the Wellcome 

 Tropical Research Laboratories, Khartoum. The Third Report 

 was issued in 1908, since when a great amount of important 

 research work has been accomplished, and the announcement 

 that a further instalment is to be expected should arouse the 

 keenest interest among students of Tropical Medicine. 



The thorough examination of the conditions of tropical life, 

 as they present themselves in men, animals, and plants, 

 is the task to which this great institution is devoted, and the 



Fourth Report, which is in three volumes, contains facts, 

 observations, and discoveries recently brought to light. It is 

 the actual record, at first hand, of new contributions to the 

 solution of problems of deep and world-wide importance. 



The edition is, howe\er, limited, and in order to ensure 

 delivery of copies immediately upon publication, it is essential 

 that orders should without delay be ft)rwarded to the publishers. 



TREASURE TROVE.— The Committee of the South 

 Eastern Union of Scientific Societies on Means of the 

 Preservation of Treasure Trove and other Relics, has issued 

 a second edition of its pamphlet upon the law of Treasure 

 Trove together with a sheet of illustrations showing in an 

 attractive manner the sort of articles which may be found 

 and ought to be preserved. Mr. H. Norman Gray, the 

 honorary secretary, is sending copies to various county 

 museums and other institutions for exhibition and reference, 

 and although the Committee is inclined to the opinion that 

 public nmseums should be the homes of all finds of interest, it is 

 only concerned with the preservation of the finds, and there- 

 fore private collectors need have no fear from any action 

 from this Committee. The printing and circulating of the 

 literature entails a considerable amount of expense and the 

 Committee invite contributions to aid it in its useful work. 



SCIENTIFIC BOOKS.— We have received from Messrs. 

 W. & G. Foyle their catalogue of technical and scientific 

 books. The great feature of it is the way in which the various 

 items are carefully listed under alphabetical headings. The 

 index contains over two hundred difi'erent subjects, so that it is 

 easy to find any one recjnired without the trouble that usually 

 has to be expended in looking through catalogues of books. 



I'rim«l for ill-; l'n.piiet.ir> ( Kllnwiedue I'ul.lishin;.; Company, Limile.l), l.y |nn\ Kl>jr„ 1 ;iliiit; ;iik1 Uvliriilsf- 



