364 



NA TURE 



[February 20, 1908 



branches, although ;it the same time it is well to 

 connect and coordinate the groups as far as possible, 

 just as examples in inorganic chemistry can often be 

 made use of to elucidate certain facts in organic 

 chemistry and mce vcr&a. 



Chapter ii., upon isomerism and stereoisomerism, is 

 written in a very interesting manner, and the subject 

 can be made anything but interesting. The diagrams 

 are good, and the explanations clear and not too over- 

 loaded with details. This chapter deals with isom- 

 erism' of the lactic acids, van 't Hoff's and Le Bel's 

 theories, mutarotation, &c., and the different action of 

 dissolved substances, depending upon whether they are 

 electrolytes or non-electrolytes. Certain of the sec- 

 tions, indeed, were it not for the full references, might 

 be considered rather short. The next chapter treats 

 of the stereochemistry of unsaturated and cyclic com- 

 pounds (geometrical isomerism), and chapter iv. with 

 the stereochemistry of nitrogen. The work of Pope 

 and collaborators upon the optical activity of sulphur, 

 selenium, and tin compounds is also included in this 

 chapter, and also that of Kipping upon silicon com- 

 pounds. It would certainly have been advantageous 

 if this part of the section had been a little more fullv 

 gone into. 



One of the best chapters in the book is that upon 

 condensation. Here the various methods employed foi 

 condensations are elaborated and brought together in 

 a manner which will be found extremely useful tc 

 students of chemistry and even to those who may 

 consider themselves beyond the student stage. Not 

 only are the methods themselves given, but the 

 subject is also treated theoretically, as, for example, 

 in the acetoacetic ester condensation and in Perkin's 

 reaction. Another chapter is devoted to fermentation 

 and enzyme action, which includes, beside an his- 

 torical introduction, references to hydrolvsis, oxidases, 

 reductases, and the mechanism of enzyme action. 

 The alkaloids, terpenes, camphors, proteins, and 

 carbohydrates are dealt with in detail, but not colour- 

 ing matters, either natural or artificial. Of course, 

 the author does not pretend to cover all the branches 

 of chemistry, and presumably his reason for omitting 

 the colouring matters; is that there is a special chair 

 of chemistry dealing with this subject at the Univer- 

 sity of Leeds, and there are also other books on this 

 theme. 



As we have already stated, the book supplies a want, 

 and we have pleasure in recommending it to all 

 advanced students of chemistry ; certainly all chemicrl 

 libraries will require it. F. M. P. 



OUR BOOK SHELF. 



The Geology of the Leicestershire and South Derby- 

 shire Coalfield. By C. Fox-Strangways. Pp. vi-|- 

 373. (London : His Majesty's Stationery Office, 

 1907.) Price 6s. 

 This latest memoir contains a description of the joint 

 ciialfields of Leicestershire and South Derbyshire, 

 cumnionly known as the Leicestershire coalfield. It 

 is one of the smallest coalfields of the Midland coun- 

 ties, and is cut off from the Warwickshire and Derby- 

 shire coalfields by an uplift of older strata. It includes 

 an area of about sixty square miles in Leicester- 

 NO. 1999, VOL. 77] 



shire, and about sixteen square miles in South 

 Derbyshire. Its exact limit nas, however, not yet 

 been proved. A large portion of the area is covered. 

 by Triassic rocks, so that the Coal-measures only 

 come to the surface over twenty-four square miles. 

 .Mthough one of the smallest coalfields, it is one of 

 the most ancient, having been worked to some extent 

 from time immemorial. The earliest mention of coals. 

 being worked in the district is in the reign of King 

 John in 1204. 



The author describes the Coal-measures and the 

 surrounding strata as far as it is possible from the 

 evidence atlorded up to the present time. He gives 

 full particulars with regard to the productive measures, 

 remarks on their probable extent beyond present work- 

 ings, and a general account of the physical history and 

 structure of the area. Brief accounts are also given 

 of the associated rocks, including those of Charnwood 

 Forest, of the Carboniferous Limestone and shales, of 

 the Millstone Grit, and of the Permian and Trias. 

 ;\ chapter is also devoted to the superficial geology. 

 The water supply, saline springs, pottery clays, whin- 

 stone, ironstone, building stone, and lime are touched 

 upon in a chapter on the economic geology of the- 

 area. 



The final chapter on the palaeontology of the coal- 

 field has been written by Mr. A. R. Horwood, of 

 the Leicester Museum, who has made a special study" 

 of the subject. 



There are three appendices — (i) a glossary of tech- 

 nical or local mining terms, (2) a bibliography extend- 

 ing from Camden's " Britannia " of 1607 down to 

 publications in 1907, and (3) details of all the borings 

 and pit sections accessible, covering 200 pages. Many 

 of these sections were left in manuscript by the late 

 Rev. W. Coleman many years ago, and it is gratifying- 

 to find the records of old workings, that would prob- 

 ably otherwise have been lost, thus preserved. The 

 bibliography is very valuable and complete. In the 

 list of authors, by an oversight, the titles of Sir 

 William Fairbairn and Sir .\rthur Riicker have beei> 

 omitted. Sir C. Le Neve Foster's title, omitted in 

 the index, is given correctly in the list of authors- 

 preceding the bibliography. 



The value of the report is greatly enhanced by a 

 small coloured map of the coalfield and six large 

 folding plates of vertical and longitudinal sections. 



Inorganic Chemistry. By E. J. Lewis. Pp. xxv-H 

 408. (Cambridge: University Press, 1907.) Price 5X. 

 This book, primarily intended for school use, deserves, 

 the widest recommendation as a sound and interest- 

 ing introduction to the subject. It consists of a series 

 of chapters or lessons in which the systematic part 

 of the subject is happily blended with a considerable- 

 amount of theory. The treatment is thorough and 

 painstaking without being dry. One is a little sur- 

 prised, perhaps, after reading of the intended scope 

 and purpose of the work, at the very large number of 

 topics introduced which by tradition have come to be 

 regarded as part of an advanced course. Thus, in 

 part ii., the successive topics treated theoretically are 

 mass action, thermochemistry, basicity of acids, rela- 

 tive strength of acids and bases, isomorphism, osmotic 

 pressure, ionic theory of solution, and the periodic- 

 classification. The treatment, though simple, is satis- 

 factory. 



For the small number to whom chemistry is to 

 become a life-study, there may be two opinions a:s. to 

 the wisdom of this brief inclusion at an early stage 

 of so many topics of the advanced course, since 

 thereby the latter is apt to be robbed of some of its 

 freshness and novelty, and to lose in consequence its 

 stimulus for the expanding intellect. But in so far 

 as the course of instruction is intended to apply tci 



