Chemistry and Physics. 241 



positively electrified bodies but not negatively electrified ones, 

 and could not impart a charge to an unelectrified body. A list 

 of the substances is given together with an account of the instru- 

 ments employed. The author thinks it probable that the salts on 

 being heated emit a stream of negatively charged particles or 

 corpuscles, which are drawn to the positively charged gold leaf 

 of the electrometer by the electrostatic field and thus discharge 

 it.— Phil. Mag., Feb., 1902, pp. 195-203. j. t. 



6. Radio-active Bodies. — M. P. Curie and Madame S. Curie 

 show that in uranium, thorium, radium, and probably actinium, 

 the radio-activity remains constant, if the chemical and physical 

 states of these substances remain unchanged. Polonium, how- 

 ever, appears to be an exception to this rule. — Comptes Hendtcs, 

 Jan. 13, 1902. J. t. 



1. Outlines of Electrochemistry : by H. C. Jones. Pp. 106, 

 8vo. New York, 1901 (The Electrical Review Publishing Co.). — 

 The volume consists of a series of articles published previously 

 in the Electrical Review. The author has aimed, apparently, to 

 present the subject of electrochemistry so that it could be under- 

 stood by any one with a moderate knowledge of chemistry, and 

 we believe he has succeeded most admirably. His chapters on 

 electromotive force are particularly good. The same may be 

 said of the chapters relating to the conductivity of solutions 

 and the velocity of the ions. We wish that Professor Jones had 

 extended the chapters on electrolysis somewhat, so as to include 

 more of the technical applications. h. w. f. 



8. Die Chemische Organisation der Zelle. Ein Vortrag von 

 Franz Hofmeister. Pp.29. Braunschweig, 1901. F. Vieweg 

 und Sohn. Mk., 0.60. — Most writers on the functions of the liv- 

 ing cell have built up their theories on the basis of purely 

 morphological considerations. In this lecture, intended for the 

 meeting of German Men-of-Science at Hamburg, Professor Hof- 

 meister points out that the biological processes of cells are mostly 

 chemical in nature and that therefore a new standpoint must be 

 assumed before further advances in our understanding of these 

 processes can be made. Even the modern physiological study of 

 elementary organisms does not promise to throw much light on 

 the problems involved. For protoplasm is no simple mechanical 

 structure; its activity is rather dependent upon the chemical ele- 

 ments involved therein, and these are present in all their com- 

 plexity in even the simplest forms of life. The author attempts 

 to tell us what must be the make-up of the living cell in order 

 that protoplasm — the functions of which are chemical — may 

 accomplish its work. The manifold reactions of liver cells are 

 selected to show how the cell is in reality a well-equipped chem- 

 ical laboratory. Hydrations, oxidations, reductions, condensa- 

 tions, — all are accomplished through the activity of catalytic 

 agents, colloidal in nature, which are the important agents in the 

 chemical transformations of the cell. The role of the intracellu- 

 lar enzymes, reversible in their action, is thus presented in a new 



