Allen's Commercial Organic Analysis

Abstract

THE original “Allen's Commercial Organic Analysis” had established a place of eminence in all analytical and technological laboratories and was a book—it may be said still is a book—of everyday reference. At the same time the trend of modern chemistry and the rapid advances which are taking place owing to chemical research and improved methods prevent any book, however well up-to-date on its publication, from holding its place unless it is continually revised. In this respect Allen's book required revision along with other reference books of a similar nature. The work has now been taken up by new editors, and when this is the case one naturally scrutinises somewhat carefully the new edition to ascertain whether real improvements have been made. It must be said at once that the revision of another man's work is much more difficult than to start to write a book de novo, and the attempts which one naturally makes to leave in paragraphs untouched which were written ten years ago and incorporate them with new material, the reverse of easy.

Allen's Commercial Organic Analysis.

Vol. iii., Hydrocarbons, Petroleum, Aromatic Acids, Explosives. Edited by W. A. Davis Samuel S. Sadtler. Fourth edition, entirely re-written. Pp. x + 635. (London: J. and A. Churchill, 1910.) Price 21s. net.