July 15, 1898.] 



SCIENCE. 



Methods of preparing the chlorates of sodium 

 and potassium, of purifying aluminium sul- 

 phate, of manufacturing persulphates, alkali 

 bichromates, potassium permanganate, sodium 

 hyposulphite, white lead, vermilion, etc., in the 

 electrolytic way, are placed before the reader 

 in a most attractive manner, so that as we pro- 

 ceed we are inspired with a desire to repeat 

 these experiments, but having previously car- 

 ried out similar schemes for most of the sub- 

 stances mentioned we find pleasure in corrob- 

 orating the statements of the author, with an 

 invitation to others to embark in this field of 

 investigation. 



The second section considers the application 

 of the current to organic substances. The 

 author credits Davy with having been the first 

 chemist to venture into the field, but adds that 

 Kolbe, "Wurtz, Bourgoin, "Walker, Miller, 

 Weems, Berthelot and others made researches 

 in this direction. Your reviewer would include 

 the name of Mulliken in this list. The efforts 

 of these men, bestowed upon the aliphatic 

 acids and their salts, have been most fruitful, 

 but the author of the work before us is content, 

 and naturally enough, to give certain general- 

 izations and deductions from the pen of Bour- 

 goin, and then branches forth upon the synthesis 

 of alcohol by Lapeyriere in 1880, with brief 

 mention of that of Eisenmann, the decoloriza- 

 tion of bark liquors, electrolytic tanning, etc. 

 This section may be said to be entirely techni- 

 ■cal, but it, as well as the first section, merits 

 the attention of chemists generally, for both 

 contain much valuable matter, concisely ex- 

 pressed and highly suggestive. 



Edgar F. Smith. 



Electro- Metallurgie. Voie humide et voie seche. 

 Par Ad. Minet. Paris, Boulevard St. Ger- 

 main, 120, Masson et Cie. 

 The author first defines electro-metallurgy, 

 describes different types of electrical apparatus, 

 and reviews the various laws relating to elec- 

 trolytes, then outlines the precipitation of cop- 

 per, lead, silver, bismuth, cadmium, mercury, 

 gold, platinum, iridium, tin, antimony, iron, 

 nickel, cobalt and zinc, giving with each the 

 most suitable composition of bath, the jiroper 

 current density, the regeneration of the liquors 



and other data valuable to those engaged in 

 electroplating. 



The second section of the book, devoted to 

 electro-metallurgy in the dry way, is most in- 

 teresting. The metals considered are alumin- 

 ium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, lithium, 

 calcium, strontium, barium and zinc. A short 

 historical sketch precedes the working condi- 

 tions laid down for each metal. Taking alumin- 

 ium as an example, there first appears a general 

 outline for its isolation from the double fluoride 

 of aluminium and sodium ; then follow a de- 

 scription of the methods proposed by Minet, 

 Heroult and Hall, with directions as to choice 

 of electrolyte, including its physical properties, 

 as well as the mode of regeneration, and also 

 the electromotive force necessary for the decom- 

 position of the various salts, and hints as to the 

 nature and shape of the vessel intended to carry 

 the electrolyte. 



Students of chemistry will read this section 

 with pleasure and profit, and lay aside the vol- 

 ume with the conviction that it brings little 

 which can be criticised and a very great deal 

 which will be helpful to all who wish to pursue 

 this line of study further. ^^^^^^ ^^ g^^^^^^ 



A Manual of Quantitative Chemical Analysis. 

 By E. P. Ladd, B.S., Professor of Chemistry in 

 the North Dakota Agricultural College, and 

 Chemist to the Government Experiment Sta- 

 tion, Fargo, N. D. New York, John Wiley 

 & Sons. 1898. 



" This little manual is intended for the use of 

 beginners in quantitative analysis. The methods 

 have been selected to advance the student from 

 the simple analj'sis to the more complex and 

 diflicult, and when he has completed the course 

 as laid down here he will be in a position to in- 

 telligently use and interpret the advanced 

 works of Fresenius, Crookes and the Eucyclo- 

 psedias." A book which will give a few simple 

 examples illustrating the principles of analytical 

 chemistry can be used with advantage by those 

 who only wish a general idea of chemistry ; 

 but it is doubtful whether such a book is useful 

 to one who expects to go more deeply into the 

 subject. He would either have a very slight 

 knowledge of the subject or would have to re- 

 peat the work in a more thorough manner. 



