Nature Speaks

Cut back to 1929. Here is the abstract of a book review article from the famous science periodical Nature.

nature 123, 571-575 (13 April 1929) | doi:10.1038/123571a0

Physical Foundations of Chemical Theory

Abstract

NO task is more difficult for the chemist of the present day than that of trying to keep abreast with those advances in atomic physics which affect him so closely that he cannot ignore (even if he cannot hope fully to understand) them. Sidgwiek's book on The Electronic Theory of Valency, which was. reviewed at length in these columns last year (April 7, 1928, vol. 121, p. 527), provided a partial solution of the problem from the chemist's point of view; but the brief mono graph of Lessheim and Samuel referred to below 1 may be regarded as a complementary contribution of unrivalled value from the physical side. The professional spectroscopist does not often realise how difficult his subject can be made for the lay reader, and it is a common experience, even when reading books or lectures of a semi-popular character, to be pulled up short by technical or controversial details of which no explanation is given or attempted.

References

1. Die Valenzzahl und ihre Beziehungen zum Bau der Atome. Von Hans Lessheim und Rudolf Samuel. (Fortschritte der Chemie, Physik und physikalische Chemie, herausgegeben von A. Eucken, Band 19, Heft 3.) Pp. 98. (Berlin: Gebrüder Borntraeger, 1927.) 640 gold marks.

 Both Von Hans Lessheim  and Rudolf Samuel were at Aligarh. Above publication, in all probability, is from the period before they joined Aligarh.