R. Bowling Barnes, Robert C. Gore, Urner Liddel and Van Zandt Williams. Infrared Spectroscopy. Industrial Applications and Bibliography. Reinhold Publishing Corp. New York, 1944, pp. 236.

Infrared spectroscopy has in recent years found broad application in industry as a simple, rapid, and accurate method for the analysis of organic compounds. In characterizing this development, American authors usually employ the strongest epithets: powerful, tremendous, etc. The authors of the book under review write in the introduction: “A typical example of the large-scale industrial application of physics is infrared spectroscopy. One of the first industrial infrared spectro-

graphs was built in this laboratory (the authors have in mind the research laboratory of the American Cyanamid Company—E. Sh.) at the end of 1935. The numerous applications of this instrument proved exceptionally successful and became known to a large number of chemists. At present this instrument makes it possible to carry out analyses inaccessible by any other methods. Routine analyses, which previously required hours to perform, are now completed in a few minutes. Interest in the possibilities of this new physical tool has become so widespread that infrared spectrometers can now be found in the laboratories of an impressive number of American industrial enterprises, and the time is not far off when this instrument will become standard equipment in most laboratories and factories” (p. 2).

The small book under review, one of whose authors (R. B. Barnes) is known for his work in infrared spectroscopy, is not a complete survey of the subject, as the authors themselves emphasize. The book has a strictly practical and, so to speak, instructional character. The authors confine themselves to the briefest theoretical remarks; describe only one instrument—namely the one they use in their laboratory (this instrument has now been technically designed and put on the market); next describe methods of work, discuss possible errors, and finally give several typical analyses (one-component, two-component, and multicomponent systems). The text occupies only 44 pages. Of great value are the two appendices to the book: 1. an atlas of infrared spectra (beginning at \(1000\ \mathrm{cm}^{-1}\)) of the transmission spectra of organic compounds in the form of 303 automatically recorded curves; 2. a bibliography of infrared spectra, containing 2701 titles of works with a brief characterization of their contents (in one phrase).

The book will serve as a valuable (chiefly reference) aid in many physical, chemical, and industrial laboratories.

E. Shpolsky