Chemistry and Physics. 369 



chemical research and engineering " originating in England. It 

 gives a concise and very satisfactory account of the main features 

 of this important branch of physical chemistry. Since many of 

 the investigations discussed are recent, the book will be very use- 

 ful to advanced students and teachers of chemistry who wish to 

 gain a clear idea of the subject in its modern aspects. Moreover, 

 the book should be of interest to many who possess only a mod- 

 erate knowledge of physics and chemistry, since the behavior of 

 colloidal solutions, the "sols," " gels," emulsions, etc., is a fasci- 

 nating subject. h. l. w. 



6. Historical Introduction to Mathematical Literature ; by 

 G.A.Miller. Pp. xiii, 302. New York, 1916 (The Macmillan 

 Co.). — The following quotations from the preface are given in 

 order to indicate fairly and concisely the author's point of view 

 with regard to the text. " One of the difficult problems which 

 present themselves to those interested in the diffusion of mathemat- 

 ical knowledge is how to establish a proper correspondence 

 between the subject matter and the individual. This problem is 

 especially serious in view of the fact that misfits along this line 

 are often disastrous. Hence it is very desirable that the 

 mathematical student be led to points from which he can over- 

 look domains of considerable extent in order that he may be able 

 to form a somewhat independent judgment as regards the regions 

 which he might like to examine more closely. The main object 

 of the present work is to guide the reader to such points of 

 observation." "In plan and scope the present volume may per- 

 haps claim originality." 



The first two chapters are of a general character and deal with 

 the history of mathematics at different periods and with the 

 various types of mathematical literature, such as periodicals, 

 encyclopedias, tables, and collected works. Definitions, divisions 

 of mathematics, concepts, notation, terminology, errors, etc., are 

 discussed in the third chapter. The next three chapters are 

 devoted respectively to the fundamental developments in arith- 

 metic, geometry, and algebra. The remaining chapter (VII) con- 

 tains accounts of the lives and investigations of twenty-five 

 prominent, deceased mathematicians. The volume closes with 

 useful lists of important works of reference, such as bibliog- 

 raphies, encyclopedias, histories, etc. The material is presented 

 in such a manner as to excite ever increasing interest as new 

 realms are unfolded before the reader, and this fact, combined 

 with the accuracy of the text, should make the book a valuable 

 contribution to the field of mathematical pedagogy. h. s. u. 



7. The Universe and the Atom; by Marion Erwin. Pp. iv, 

 314, with 58 figures. New York, 1916 (D. Van Nostrand Co.).— 

 "The object of the present work is to furnish an explanation of 

 the physical Universe and the Atom on simple mechanical princi- 

 ples." The constitution of the ether, the creation and structure 

 of atoms, gravitation, and positive and negative electricity are all 

 explained by simple kinetical considerations. It is shown that 



