scattered throughout the footnotes. It has been the reviewer's experience in

teaching Scientific Russian to research scientists of divorse disciplines that the inclusion of a short, general description of the oreanisational. eeoeraohical. and

institutions and research workers, and the

such material, nor are pages from the major Soviet teohnical journals presented as examples of the literary style used by researoh authors.

Most of the technical readings are taken from encyclopedias and high school texts. These are of definite value in learning to read but they should he supplemented with examples from journals (at least, Doklady) of a literary style somewhat different from that encountered in the above. One may reflect on a Soviet scientist, who has learned Scientific English by reading ex- cerpts from the Enc&qmlia B~ilannica, being confronted by 8. page of a current issue of the Journal of the American Chemi- cal Society.

IRVING S. BENGELSDORP Tezas-U.S. Chemical Co. Pamippany, New Jersey

Chemistry of Carbon Compounds. Vol- ume 46: Heterocyclic Compounds

Edited by E. H. Rodd. Elsevier Pub- lishing Co. Sole distributors for the USA, D. Vsn Nostrand Co., Ino., Princeton, New Jersey, 1959. xviii + 655 pp. Tables. 16 X 23 cm. $241

The present text constitutes the second portion of Volume 4 of Rodd's modern comprehensive treatise, continuing the systematic survey of heterocyclic eom- pounds begun in Volume 4A. Wdl known and widely used by organio chem- ists, Volumes 1A through 3B of this series have reviewed the pertinent literature on the subject of aliphatic, alicyclic, and aromatio compounds. The present eight chapters, under the authorship of seven outstanding contributors, begin with an examination of six-membered ring com- pounds containing one hetero-oxygen or sulfur atom, then continue with a survey of a widevariety of synthetic and naturally occurring heterocycles including flwones, brszilins, heematoxylins, oymins, indi- goids, porphins, pyridazines, pyrimidines, and ovrazines. An interestine and in-

hetera atoms" as silicon, phosphorus, arsenic, antimony, bismuth, germanium, and halogen.

Volume 4B of Rodd continues to display the excellence, lucid prose and careful editorship of its predecessors. As evi- dence of the latter characteristic an Er- rata sheet is included with the present

text; it contains a mere 36 new corrections, mostly typographical, to all seven pre- vious volumes in this series. In addition to the more than 200 add periodicals used as source material in Volume 4A, some 40 additional journals have been referred to in the present volume. The index to Volume 4B constitutes some 74 pages containing approximately 7000 entries.

Following the advent of Volume l A of Rodd's comprehensive treatise, it became quite obvious that "Chemistry of Carbon Compounds" would become the single most useful modern compendium for the organic chemist actively engaged in re- search. Subsequent volumes of this se- ries, including the present one, have fully confirmed this initial evaluation.

Methoden der Organischen Chemie. Volume 1, Part 2

Edited by Eugene Muller, Tubingen. 4th ed. Geore Thieme Verlae. Stutk gmt, ~erman; 1959. xlv + 7017 pp. Many figs. and tables. 18 X 26 cm. $46.65.

There was the old chemist who was so narrow minded he could peep through the keyhole with both eyes opm. Although it is now recognized that keeping both eyes open when staggering around the laboratory is a. virtue, the more vexing problem of attempting to enlarge the interocular space may find a partial solution through the habitual reading of "Die Methoden der Organischen Chemie!'

Part I1 of Volume I in this series is a . continuation of the survey of general laboratory practice; i t is divided into four general divisions.

The first section (188 pp.) on grinding dispersion, particle-size analysis, ete., not only describes the variety of equip- ment available, but surveys the theoreti- cal and practical aspects as well. The ma- terial on foams and emulsions, together

,+th the discussion on stabilizers and the breaking of these systems, is especially complete.

The second division (576 pp.) reviews a variety of general laboratory techniques: the hndling of gascs, explosive materials, small quantities of matter, high presRUre equipment, and vacuum procedures. I t concludes with a survey ofbeating, cooling temperature: mera~urement, control, and recording.

The third part (122 pp.) is a, description of the oronerties and ourification of the

agents. The final portion of the book (56 pp.)

contains safety precautions for a. diversity of types of laboratory accidents and concludes with a discussion of the com- pounds of known carcinogenic haeards.

This volume is dedicated to Hans Meemein on the anniversary of his eightieth birthday. It sustains the high level of thoroughness exhibited in the

other volumes of this series. The litera- ture for the most part is covered up to 1958. The index contains over 2000 entries.

GEORGE HOLMEB RICHTER The Rice Institute

Houston, Tezas

Some Problems in Chemical Kinetics and Reactivity. Volume 2

N . N . Semenov, Academy of Sciences of U.S.S.R. Translated irom the Rus- sian by Michel Boudart. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jer- sey, 1959. 331 pp. 86 figs., 30 tables. 15.5 X 23 em. I'aper hound. $4.50.

Some Problems in Chemical Kinetics and Reactivity. Volume 2

N . N . Semenov, Academy of Sciences of U.S.S.R. Translated from the Rus- sian by J. E. S. Bradley. Pergamon Press, Inc., New York, 1959. x + 168 pp. 73 figs., 21 tables. 14.5 X 22 cm. $5.

The original book was published in Russian in 1954, and was an expanded version of a paper given s t the opening of a 8ymposinm. Two separate English translations are appearing, as listed above. Both translations are appearing in two volumes, and the first volumes have alret~dy been reviewed in TnIs J o n m a ~ (36, 475 (1959)). The present volume by Baudart contains chapters on Competi- tion between Chain Reactions and Reac- tions Between Saturated Molecules, Ther- mal Explosions, Chain Ignition, Chain Ignition in Hydrogen-Oxygen Mixtures, Chain Interaction, and Chain Reactions with Degenerate Branching. I t also contains three appendixes: The Method of the Aotivated Complex, Quantum Mechanical Calculations of the Activa- tion Energy, and Additions to Volume 1. Volume 2 of the Bradley translation omits the first of the chapters listed above and the appendixes, since these were given in Volume 1. As with Volume 1, there is an index to the Bradley translation hut not to the Boudart one.

As mentioned in the review of Volume 1, the great value of these translations is to bring more easily to workers in the West the views of the major Russian school of chemical kinetics. Volume 2 is again of great value from this point of view. I t is, however, rather disappointing cam- pared with Volume 1, and could largely have been written in 1935 a t the time of Semenov's classical work on chain reac- tions. In particular, the chapters which deal with oxidation reactions are disap- pointing and give little indication that progress is a t last being made on the chemistry of such processes. Neverthe- less, because i t helps to further contact between Russian work and that in the West, the book is a "must" for all labora- tories interested in chemical kinetics.

E. W. R. STEACIE, Nationol Research Council

Otlawa, Canada

h m e 37, Number 3, Morch 1960 / 163