94 
Book  Reviews. 
[Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
\   February,  1909. 
The  Design  and  Equipment  of  Small  Chemical  Labora- 
tories. By  Richard  K.  Meade,  B.S.,  Editor  of  the  Chemical 
Engineer,  etc.  The  Chemical  Engineering  Publishing  Co.,  Chicago, 
1908. 
During  1905,  a  series  of  articles  upon  this  subject  appeared  in 
the  Chemical  Engineer  and  were  widely  read.  This  matter  with 
much  additional  has  now  been  gathered  and  appears  in  book  form. 
It  is  a  book  which  is  certain  to  be  welcome,  because  it  will  be  helpful 
to  a  great  many  chemists  who  have  to  equip  or  rearrange  labora- 
tories, and  will  be  glad  to  benefit  by  the  experience  of  one  who  has 
had  the  same  problems  to  face  and  has  found  solutions  for  them. 
Until  a  chemist  has  worked  for  several  years  as  a  practical  analyst 
with  the  constant  demand  for  rapid  as  well  as  accurate  work  he 
cannot  appreciate  what  it  is  to  have  a  properly  arranged 
laboratory  with  all  the  conveniences  possible.  Mr.  Meade  has  had 
the  opportunity  of  organizing  several  laboratories  for  special  lines 
of  work  in  the  course  of  his  career  and,  therefore,  is  well  qualified 
to  take  up  his  subject  with  personal  knowledge  and  experience.  The 
book  takes  up  the  general  features-  that  must  be  considered  in  every 
case,  such  as  ventilation  and  heating,  finish  of  walls  and  ceilings,  and 
general  arrangement  of  the  interior  space,  and  gives  many  excellent 
suggestions  fitting  varied  locations  according  as  the  laboratory  is  to 
be  a  separate  building  or  is  to<  occupy  space  in  a  factory  or  office 
building.  The  construction  of  hoods,  sinks,  tables  for  filtration, 
volumetric  work,  distillation  and  ignition,  the  placing  of  the 
analytical  balance  and  proper  supports  for  the  same  are  all  covered 
with  much  valuable  suggestion  based  upon  experience. 
One  chapter  deals  with  apparatus  for  electrochemical  analysis  and 
another  with  assay  furnaces  and  accessories  so  that  the  book  is  of 
value  for  a  wide  range  of  readers.  The  book  is  quite  fully  illustrated 
and  the  author  gives  the  sources  of  supply  where  special  forms  of 
apparatus  can  be  purchased,  believing  that  this  will  make  the  book 
more  helpful  to  the  beginner  who  is  starting  out  to  supply  himself 
with  an  outfit.  We  can  commend  the  book  as  quite  up-to-date  and 
thoroughly  helpful  to  a  chemist  who  has  before  him  the  problem  of 
arranging  and  equipping  a  laboratory. 
S.  P.  Sadtler. 
