REVIEWS. 



Allen's Commercial Organic Analysis, Volume I. Edited by Henry Leffmann 

 and W. A. Davis. 4th ed. Cloth. Pp. x+576, 86 illustrations. Price $5 

 net. Philadelphia: P. Blakiston's Son & Co. 1909. 



This admirable volume is composed of the following divisions : ( 1 ) 

 Introduction by William A. Davis, treating with general methods, includ- 

 ing preliminary examination, specific gravity, changes in physical state, 

 optical properties, spectrometers and spectrographs, polarimeters, ar- 

 rangements for maintaining known constant temperature, analysis, 

 moisture, crude fibre and ash, and action of solvents, 83 pages; (2) 

 Alcohols, by C. C. Jones, 47 pages; (3) Malt and malt liquors, by 

 Julian L. Baker, 31 pages; (4) Wines and potable spirits, by C. C. Jones, 

 40 pages; (5) Yeast, by Emil Schlichting, 21 pages; (6) Neutral alcoho- 

 lic derivatives, by Henry Leffmann, 54 pages; (7) Sugars, by E. Frank- 

 land Armstrong, 119 pages; (8) Starch and isomers, by E. Frankland 

 Armstrong, 59 pages; (9) Paper and paper-making materials, by R. W. 

 Sindall, 19 pages; (10) Acid derivatives of alcohols, by Henry Leffmann, 

 82 pages; an Appendix, 1 page, and an Index, 6 pages. 



The book is a useful compilation for analysts and in all but a very few ' 

 instances is well up to date. It is but natural for each individual 

 worker to find something to criticize and to discover omissions which 

 he would like to have included in the work. On page 258, under the 

 Rimini reaction for formaldehyde, is omitted the very satisfactory test 

 given on page 185 of Bulletin No. 107, Bureau of Chemistry, United 

 States Department of Agriculture. 



Under the heading "Detection and estimation of chloral," the delicate 

 test of Covelli, depending upon the coloration of fatty oils (Chemiker 

 Zeitung (1907), 31, 342), is omitted. It is possible that these methods 

 appeared after the book had gone to press (the first appeared in 1908 and 

 the second in 1907), although this does not seem to be the case, for the 

 section upon potable spirits is completely up to date and contains refer- 

 ences to most improved methods of analysis (p. 190) and their inter- 

 pretation (p. 202). The considerations of mannitol and the methods 

 for its estimations and detection does not appear in this volume while in 

 the former editions several paragraphs are given on this subject. 



The typography and binding leave little to be desired, although a few 

 errors are observed. This edition should be in every chemist's library. 



H. D. G. 



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