Chemistry and Physics. 541 



SCIENTIFIC INTELLIGENCE. 



I. Chemistry and Physics. 



1. Modern Inorganic Chemistry ; by J. W. Mellor. New 

 Edition. 8vo, pp. 910. London, 1917 (Longmans, Green and 

 Co.) . — This is an extensive and unusually excellent text-book. It 

 is written in a remarkably clear and interesting manner giving 

 many appropriate quotations and allusions. It gives a very 

 satisfactory account of the facts of inorganic chemistry as well 

 as of the generalizations that are derived from the facts, and 

 it takes up the most recent theories of physical chemistry in a 

 very suitable way. The book indicates remarkably thorough 

 knowledge on the part of the author as well as high ability in the 

 presentation of the subject. 



While the book is too extensive and elaborate in its treatment 

 of the subject to be put into the hands of beginners as their sole 

 text-book, it appears certain that it is a very suitable work for 

 the use of all sorts of students of chemistry for reference and 

 extra reading, as it should greatly stimulate the interest, and 

 extend the knowledge beyond that usually obtained from the 

 usual, frequently dry, and often almost childishly brief, text- 

 books that are frequently used. 



The book appears to be particularly well adapted for the use 

 of teachers of chemistry who wish to put themselves in touch 

 with the present developments of the science. The large number 

 of examination questions, many of which are taken from actual 

 college papers, are also useful, not only for students, but as 

 suggestions for teachers. h. l. w. 



2. James Woodhouse: A pioneer in chemistry, 1770-1809; 

 by Edgar F. Smith. Pp. 296, with portrait, 12mo. Philadel- 

 phia, 1918 (The John C. Winston Company). — This is an inter- 

 esting biography of one of the most prominent pioneers of 

 American chemistry. Dr. Woodhouse became Professor of Chem- 

 istry at the University of Pennsylvania in 1795, just after the 

 chair had been offered to and declined by the celebrated Joseph 

 Priestley, the discoverer of oxygen, who had recently emigrated 

 to the United States. Woodhouse did important work in advo- 

 cating and establishing the modern ideas of oxidation which had 

 recently been founded by Lavoisier. He had frequent inter- 

 course ~with Priestley and finally entered into a controversy with 

 him in connection with the phlogiston theory to which Priestley 

 adhered to the end of his days in spite of the great service he 

 had rendered in bringing about its overthrow. 



Woodhouse was an ardent laboratory worker, and although 

 his scientific results appear to be somewhat trivial from our 

 present point of view, his philosophy was sound and his teach- 



