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riferous bodies (both those which are constituents of oils and those 

 which are artificially prepared, chemically homogeneous, odoriferous 

 substances,) details are given of their occurrence in nature or their 

 mode of preparation by artificial processes. These notes are gene- 

 rally fuller than those given for the oils. The properties, the prin- 

 cipal conversions, etc., are then dealt with. At the end of the book 

 there is a set of tables of atomic weights, densities, boiling points, etc., 

 in the case of which an indication of the sources would have been 

 desirable, and a number of presciptions for the preparation of per- 

 fumes In our estimation the details supplied concerning the essential oils 

 might have been fuller. Compared with similar particulars given for 

 odoriferous bodies they are a little bare, and the author, in many in- 

 stances, might are well have acknowledged the sources of his in- 

 formation. Here and there we find antiquated formulae, such as the 

 1,4-oxide formula for cineol instead of the 1,8-formula, a camphor for- 

 mula with a tetracyclic ring, after the manner of pinene, and the formula 

 of a primary alcohol for linalool. In the next place we feel bound 

 to enter a protest against the assumption of the author, as expressed 

 both in his preface and in his exordium, that the chemistry of odo- 

 riferous bodies, and, in fact, modern chemistry generally, is essentially 

 a French science, based in one respect upon the teachings of French 

 scientists (Lavoisier, Pasteur, Berthelot, Friedel and others), and in 

 another upon the riches of the flower industry of Southern France. 

 The most important work, theoretical as well as practical, in the domain 

 of the odoriferous substances has been done by German chemists. 

 We need only mention such names as Wailach, von Baeyer, Bredt, 

 Tiemann, and Semmler, and, last but not least, the chemists of the 

 great German essential oil factories. Men of other nations also, among 

 them especially Englishmen and Russians, have participated with much 

 su' cess in the research work in this field. The haughty saying of 

 Wurtz la chimie est une science frangaise may have had some justi- 

 fication at the time when the young chemist received his scientific 

 consecration in the laboratories of Dumas, Pelouze, Peligot, and others, 

 but nowadays it can no longer be said to hold good, as a glance 

 through German chemical literature and German chemical industry 

 shows. An unconscious acknowledgment of German work is to be 

 found in the mention of the discovery of muskone, which occurs in 

 conjunction with this glorification of French science. 



H. Dunod and E. Pinat, Paris, also publish a volume of 610 pages 

 by Paul Hubert entitled Plantes a parfiim, which appears as one of 

 their Bibliotheque pratique du Colon series. 



This book is divided into three parts. In the first the author 

 begins with a short review of chemistry in general and the chemistry 



