A. Smith. Introduction to Inorganic Chemistry. Translated from the third edition, edited and supplemented by A. V. Rakovsky. First issue. GIZ. 1928. Pp. X + 478. Price 4 rubles 50 kopecks + 40 kopecks.

Smith’s chemistry textbook has long enjoyed well-deserved fame both abroad and among us. The author’s incomparable pedagogical talent, together with his profound understanding of the place occupied by individual problems within the logical whole of the given science, have made it so that a person who has worked through Smith’s book will truly be “initiated” into the mysteries of chemistry and equipped with the methods of chemical thinking.

In particular, there is no other chemistry textbook that would be so useful for the student of physics. This is because in Smith the exposition of general chemistry is constantly oriented toward the facts and theories of physics.

And yet even the Sun has spots! Strange as it may seem, even in the latest American edition of Smith’s Introduction there are quite a few serious factual inaccuracies (especially in the presentation of facts of a physical nature).

As far as I have been able to determine, comparing the English original with the just-published first issue of the Russian translation, its editor, Prof. Rakovsky, has carefully corrected all the shortcomings of the original (with some paragraphs written entirely anew by the editor). It may now be said boldly that the present “Russian” Smith is better than the American one!

The issue that has appeared contains the following chapters: Chemical phenomena; methods of their study and classification. — Energy in chemical transformations. Physics in practical chemistry. — Combining ratios by weight. — Symbols, formulas, equations, calculations. — Oxygen. — Measurements of gases. — Hydrogen. — Water. — Relations between the structure of matter and its manifestations. The molecular-kinetic conception. — Solutions. — Hydrogen chloride and chlorine. — Molecular and atomic weights. — Application of the doctrine of molecular and atomic weights. Properties of atoms. — The halogen group. — Chemical equilibrium. — Ozone and hydrogen peroxide. — Dissociation in solution. — Electrolytic dissociation. — Ions and their interaction. — Sulfur and hydrogen sulfide. — Oxides and oxygen acids of sulfur. — Selenium and tellurium. Classification of the elements.

The appearance of the book is pleasant; only some of the illustrations are not sufficiently clear.

The book will undoubtedly enjoy great success.

A. Bachinsky.