book reviews prominent Scientists of Continental Europe
John Turkevich, Princeton University, and Ludmilla B. Turkevich, Rutgers University. American Elsevier Publishing Company, New York, 1968. ix 204 pp. 17.5 x 25 cm. $16.
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This useful compendium consists of 3154 brief biographies of scientists of all kinds from 23 countries. The data are accurate because they were chiefly derived from questionnaires sent to the persons included; the return was 75%. The information was supplemented from other reliable sources. However it should be noted that the selection was limited to members of the various national academies and to professors at leading universities. These arbitrary limitations and personal selections have greatly decreased the utility of the volume, and actual trials have disclosed the absence of names that in the reviewer's opinion should have been included. Since the countries are obstensibly limited to continental Europe, the scientists of the British Isles were not included though there are 5 entries from Iceland. It is planned to issue future volumes which will remedy some of these shortcomings. In its present state the volume, though useful, is far from an adequate substitute for the Poggendorf multivolume set that is still being issued. The volume under review here includes
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Journal of Chemical Education
only those who were living in 1966, the cut-off date of this collection. The biographies include the essential items: date of birth, field of interest, training, main posts held, degrees, chief research topics, etc., plus mailing address (as of 1966). This latter extremely useful information is omitted however with respect to the 486 persons residing in the Soviet Union. Hence for the main part, this volume will be welcomed by scientists travelling in Continental Europe or by those desirous of corresponding with these leaders in their fields. Keeping its obvious limitations in mind, the book is recommended for purchase by libraries. The compilers have devoted much time and expert knowledge to the preparation of this book and have made readily available information and data that can be of importance in the internationalization of the various sciences and their practitioners.
RALPH E. OESPER University of Cincinnati Cincinnati, Ohio Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemical Analysis. Volume 7, Benzene to Brewery Products
Edited by Foster D. Swill and Clifford L. Hilton. Interscience Publishers (a division of John Wiley & Sons, Inc.), New York, 1968. xi 712 pp. Fig% and tables. 19 X 26.5 cm. 835 (subscription); $45 (single copy).
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Volume 7 of this series (See J. CHEM
EDUC. 44, A35, 1967) continues the compilat.ion of analytical methods for commercial products as well as many basic chemicals. Included, among others, in this issue are beryllium, bile acids and salts, bioassay, bonded abrasives, boron, and brake fluids and linings. JANET B. VANDOREN College of Wooster Wooster. Ohio
Gmelins Handbuch der Anorganischen Chemie. 8. Auflage, System Mummer 50, Tanlal. Teil A, Lieferung 1, Geschichtliches, Vorkommen, Technologic
Edited by Kurt Swars and the Gmehn Institute. Veriag Chemie, GMBH, Wemheim/Bergstrasse, 1969. xi, 276 pp. Tables. 18 X 25.5 cm. 332 D M.
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This volume initiates the latest Gmelin Institute compilation on tantalum. The work starts with the discovery of tantalum in 1802 and continues with the early processes for preparation of the element and its compounds. Other chapters cover cosmochemistry, geochemistry, dressing of raw materials, preparation, use, and toxicology. Later volumes will deal with alloys and compounds of tantalum.
JANET B. VAN DOEEN
College of Wooster Wooder, Ohio (Continued on page A762)
