454 



NA TURE 



[June 17, 1909 



of chfiiiists now profess this belief without realisinj^ 

 that the use of the historical method presupposes th.u 

 the teacher has a grasp of history. Ostwald's 

 <lictum — " a most remarkable and praiseworthy thiiif; 

 in scientific literature is that almost every word is 

 written conscientiously " — can hardly be applied to the 

 usual treatment of the history of science. The his- 

 torical conscience is somewhat blunt in the scientific 

 man. In the present book, for instance, the statements 

 are made that Lavoisier introduced the use of the 

 balance into chemistry (p. 12), and that Dalton dis- 

 covered the law of multiple proportion on consideration 

 of marsh gas and okfiant gas, and then of carbon 

 monoxide and dioxide, confirmed his discovery by the 

 oxides of nitrogen, and then arrived at his atomic 

 theory (p. 24). These statements are mere fiction. 



In discussing solution, the author says nothing of 

 the hydrate theory, and instead of pointing out that 

 the theory of ions is extremely useful and extrcmelv 

 vulnerable, remarks that it can be regarded as one of 

 the best-founded hypotheses of modern chemistrv 

 (p. 151). There is a curious statement on p. 40 to the 

 efTect that the practice of writing chemical formula, 

 such as H:.SO,, instead of H'SO', is more common in 

 Germany than elsewhere. 



(2) This book is evidently the outcome of a keen 

 interest in the teaching of chemistry. It is intended to 

 be used by first-year students :it a university, in con- 

 nection with a course of lectures on chemical theory. 

 There are chapters (in addition to what is to be 

 expected on molecular and atomic weights, the 

 periodic system, &c.) on the theory of electrolytic dis- 

 -sociation. the law of mass action, the phase rule, and 

 thermochemistry. 



Surely it is .i mistake in policy to state .Vvogadro's 

 hypothesis and to proceed without a moment's delay 

 to apply the hypothesis to prove that the molecule of 

 oxjgen can be halved (pp. 11-12). .Again, it would be 

 much better to omit the proof on pp. 47-48 — not a verv 

 clear one— that the " molecular weight of a gas is 

 equal to twice its density compared to hydrogen." 

 Once the student realises that under similar conditions 

 the molecular weights of different gases occupv the 

 same volume, it is obvious to him if it is onlv pointed 

 out that he can find the density of a gas relati\-e to 

 hydrogen by dividing the molecular weight of the gas 

 by 2 (the molecular weight of hydrogen). 



A. N. M. 



OVR BOOK SHELF. 



Malleable Cast Iron. By .S. Jones Parsons. Pp. 



xi4-i7i. (London: .\. Constable and Co., Ltd., 



igog.) Price Si. net. 

 That malleable cast iron has been given a work to 

 itself is an index of its growing importance in the 

 world of iron and steel. The methods of its manu- 

 facture are so closely allied to the other parts of 

 foundry work that it is doubtful whether it is not 

 better dealt with in a general work on the foundrv, 

 where its speci.il features m.iv be pointed out in a 

 section devoted to this subject' 



The present work deals with the whole of the 

 foundry aspects of malleable cast iron, melting, 

 mouldmg, annealing, cleaning and straightening, 

 NO. 2068, VOL. 80] 



design, patterns, inspection and testing, supple- 

 mentary processes such ;is galvanising, and applica- 

 tions. The practical part of the work seems well 

 done and needs little comment, but it is very un- 

 fortunate for those who are endeavouring to promote 

 the application of science in the foundry tliat the com- 

 positions given on p. g, if such pigs could be procured^ 

 would yield disastrous results. This is particularly 

 unfortunate as the number of what are called " prac- 

 tical men " seeking the assistance of science in the 

 foundry is steadily increasing, and these men are- 

 very keen on the quest after they have proved its first 

 benefit. .Anything misleading which woi;ld give them 

 a feeling of distrust should be avoided if possible. 



The analyses on p. g show |)ig-irons with from o"i45: 

 to 252 per cent, sulphur and o'gj to r5o per cent, 

 phosphorus as suitable for the manufacture of malle- 

 able cast iron, whereas good specimens of this niateriaf 

 do not contain more than about 01 per cent, 

 phosphorus. 



The definition of shrinkage is not good, and the- 

 author f.iils to grasp the essential differences between 

 the manufacture of Reaumur and Blackhcart malle- 

 able iron. Many other points have been noted, such- 

 ,ns " that theorists regard the pyrometer as indispens- 

 able, but in practice it is less trustworthy than the 

 trained eye," &c. W. II. Hatfield, whom he praises, 

 would tell th? author that this statement is quite 

 out of date. This work as a whole is untrustworthv 

 so far as the science underlying the manufacture of 

 malleable cast iron is concerned. A. McW. 



A Manual of hijectious Diseases. By Dr. E. W. 



Goodall and Dr. J. W. Waslibourn, C.M.G- 



.Second edition, revised and enlarged by Dr. E. \V. 



Goodall. Pp .\ii + 426. (London: II. K. Lewis^ 



igoS.) Price 145. net. 

 The second edition of this well-known book has been 

 prepared by Dr. (Soodall, who expresses the loss sus- 

 tained by pathology and clinical medicine by the 

 untimely death of Dr. Washboum, which occurred 

 since the first edition appeared. 



Little but praise can be e.xpresscd for the work. 

 The descriptions of the diseases dealt with, their 

 symptomatology and treatment, are clearly and con- 

 cisely stated, and the dilTerential diagnoses are 

 excellent. .Ml recent work seems to be incorporated,, 

 and the pathology and bacteriology of the diseases are 

 given so far as is known. Thus, under small-pox, we 

 find descriptions of the Cytoryctes variolac of 

 Guarnieri and of the intracellular bodies of Council- 

 man, Calkins, and Ty/zer. 



We think that in a few instances the arrangement 

 of the subject-matter might with ad\-antage have- 

 been altered, or at least cross-references inserted- 

 For instance, dealing with the " dissemination " of 

 enteric fever, the part played by " bacilli carriers " is- 

 iust noted, this portion of the subject being elaborated 

 later under " Protection and Dur.ition of Infectivity." 

 Similarly the presence of virulent diphtheria bacilli in 

 " well " persons as a mode of spread of the disease 

 might have been emphasised, and membranous- 

 rhinitis should have been more clearly referred to in 

 the section on " nasal diphtheria." The reviser 

 believes that an attack of enteric fever confers almost 

 complete protection ; in this he is at variance with 

 other recognised authorities. " Slop " diet is advo- 

 cated for enteric fever, righlly so. we think; but some 

 mention ought to have been made of more generous 

 dieting as advocated by some, particularly in pro- 

 longed cases. 



The authors doubtless had to set some limitatiorr 

 on the number of diseases dealt with, but as chapter*; 

 are devoted to relapsing and tvphus fevers anif 



