BOOK REVIEWS their horizon to include n group of element8 likely to become increasingly important. Dr. Vickery recants an earlier view that ion exchange techniques were of slight importance. However, he still fails to describe the full versatility of these techniques for the lanthanides, and gives few references to guide the reader to a more complete knowledge. A second criticism whieh can be made is the rather useless chapter on itsdioehemical Techniques in which the discussion is quite inadequate and sometimes even misleading. However, these areas whieh constitute the two faults in an otherwise useful and wellwritten hook are very adequately treated in the monograph by Dm. Stevenson and Nervik. This second work is one of a series of monographs on the radiochemistry of the elements prepared under the sponsorship of the Subcommittee on Radiochemistry of the National Academy of SeiencesNational Research Council. (See THIS JOURNAL, 37, 386 (1960), 38, 72(1961).) The chemistry of the lnnthmide elements is reviewed with emphasis on the complexes of these elements both with inorganio and organic ligands and an the results of the studies by solvent extraction and chromatographic techniques. A great hody of information is presented with little attempt a t critical evaluation. The latter part of the book is devoted to 29 separation procedures far these elements. Any reader of this monograph cannot help but be aware of the necessity for much
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more research on the lanthanides and for this reason it is recommended to all students of inorganic chemistry. These two monographs complement eaoh other very well. Neither discusses lanthanide chemistry from a fundamental viewpoint, bath being descriptive in nature. As specialized monographs, they are of interest primarily to the chemist who occasionally encounters these elements. Their value to students is mare limited although both suggest many experiments 'with theseelementawhich couldbeincluded in inorganic and analytical laboratory courses. I t is to be hoped that these volumes may provide the necessary stimulittion for the production of s. fundamental text on these elements. GREGORY R. CHOPPIN Florida Stale Uniuwsily
Tallahassee Crystal Structures.
Supplement 5
W. G. Wyckoff. Interscience Publishers, Ine. New York, 1960. 20 X 25 cm. 526.50. The publication of supplement 5 completes this monumental work, the first portion of which was issued in 1948. Additions to Chapters 2-15 are included. Some are supplementary pages. Others are pages to replace those issued earlier. Inorganic Formula Index, Mineralogical Name Index, and Index to Organic Compounds are also provided in the present supplement. See THE JOURNAL, 26, 280 (1949), 35, A620 (19581, and 36, A533 (1959).
W.F.K.
