4i8 
Reviews. 
/  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
I      August,  1898. 
of  the  radicals,  with  brief  descriptions  of  the  properties  upon  which  the  ana- 
lytical methods  are  based. 
The  point  to  be  decided  in  regard  to  this  book  is  whether  it  is  adapted  to  the 
needs  of  a  beginner  in  the  study  of  qualitative  analysis.  We  don't  believe  it  is 
altogether  so  adapted  ;  the  plan  of  analysis,  as  given,  is  too  cumbersome  for  a 
beginner,  who  should  be  given  but  one  solution  for  analysis  at  a  time.  We 
think,  however,  this  plan  could  be  simplified  for  the  student  and  the  book  be 
made  to  serve  his  purpose,  by  the  instructor  having  him  first  analyze  the  mix- 
ture to  ascertain  its  behaviors,  and  afterwards  the  separate  solutions,  one  at  a 
time,  to  enable  the  student  to  determine  the  substances  causing  these  behaviors. 
The  beginner's  mind  would  then  be  freer  to  observe,  not  being  haunted  by 
the  possibility  of  getting  his  materials  mixed.  But,  even  then,  if  we  were  to 
put  this  plan  of  analysis  in  his  hands,  with  the  object  of  developing  in  him 
the  power  of  observation,  we  would  withhold  Part  III,  for  the  author  has  given 
in  this  section  the  very  things  he  wants  the  student  to  observe  for  himself 
while  working  according  to  Part  I.  The  average  student  would  not  be  long  in 
discovering  that  these  things  could  be  found  here,  even  in  the  absence  of  the 
author's  suggestion  that  he  confirm  his  own  observations  by  consulting  this 
part  of  the  book,  and,  having  put  the  temptation  before  him,  we  would  not  be 
surprised  to  find  this  student  turning  leaves  and  reading  instead  of  folding 
filters  and  plodding.  J.  C.  P. 
A  Short  Course  in  Inorganic  Qualitative  Analysis  for  Engineer- 
ing Students.  By  J.  S.  C.  Wells,  Ph.D.,  Instructor  in  Analytical  Chemistry, 
Columbia  University,  New  York:  John  Wiley  &  Sons.  1898.  i2mo.  x  -f-  294  pp. 
In  preparing  this  work  the  author  has  followed  the  general  plan  of  Fresen- 
ius,  but  with  the  idea,  as  he  states,  of  presenting  only  that  which  seemed 
essential  to  a  clear  understanding  of  the  subject  and  to  make  it  as  concise  as 
possible.  For  this  reason  he  has  omitted  all  but  the  more  important  reactions 
of  the  different  metals  and  acids,  these  also  being  limited  in  number  to  those 
more  commonly  considered. 
The  author  is  evidently  impressed  with  the  importance  of  the  study  of  reac- 
tions, for  not  only  are  the  individual  reactions  of  the  members  of  the  different 
groups  considered,  but  in  the  introduction  to  the  book  considerable  space  is 
devoted  to  this  subject,  and,  in  addition,  the  schemes  for  separation  are  accom- 
panied by  tables  of  scheme  reactions,  these  latter  making  clear  to  the  student 
the  effect  of  each  reagent  added  to  a  solution. 
Altogether,  the  work  seems  well  adapted  for  its  purpose,  and  we  believe  that 
it  will  be  found  a  valuable  guide,  not  only  to  engineering  students,  but  to 
others  who  wish  to  take  a  practical  course  in  qualitative  analysis  but  who  have 
not  the  time  to  devote  to  a  more  elaborate  study  of  the  subject.  F.  Y. 
Arbeiten  der  Kommission  des  Deutschen  Apotheker — Vereins  zur 
BearbEiTung  DES  Arznerbuches.  In  this  work  of  the  Committee  on 
Revision  of  the  German  Pharmacopoeia  we  find  a  number  of  alterations  and 
additions  suggested.  Some  changes  in  solubility  in  alcohol  of  ammoniac  and 
benzoin  are  given.  The  characteristic  nervature  of  folia  stramonii  is  described. 
Then,  also,  additions  or  changes  in  the  tests  for  acidum  agaricinum,  aloe, 
euphorbium,  kali  causticum  fusum,   santonin,  sebum  salicylatum,  spiritus 
