547
S E W BOOKS
is of considerable economic interest; it is further enriched by a topographical survey, t h e earths found in various parts of the world being given under the place names. T h e sources of monazite are particularly well described. Out-of-the-way sources, such a s plants, animals, and coal ash, are not forgotten. Altogether i t may be said t h a t if t h e remaining sections of the volume on the rare earths are as good as this one, chemists will have reason t o be grateful t o the patient, careful, and accurate work p u t in by the editor and his collaborators. J. R. P A R T I N G T O N . Gmelins Handbuch der anorganischen Chemze. 8 Auflage. Herausgegeben von der Deutschen Chemischen Gesellschaft. System-Summer 25: Caesium mit einem Anhang uber Ekacaesium. Lieferung 2. 26 x 18 cm.; pp. xx ix 105-268. Berlin: Verlag Chemie, 1938. Price: 21.75 RM. This section deals with the compounds of cesium and completes the volume on this element, the first part having dealt with the element. Compounds with hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, halogens, sulfur, selenium, tellurium, boron, carbon, silicon, phosphorus, arsenic, antimony, bismuth, and double salts with other alkali metals, and oxy compounds are fully dealt with. The order is t h a t adopted in all volumes of Gmelin’s Handbuch and goes back t o the old issue, the periodic order not being followed. I t goes without saying t h a t all the information is complete, up-to-date, and critical. T h e literature on ekacesium is fully and critically reviewed and t h e conclusion is reached t h a t “in the present stage of investigation, ekacesium either does not exist a t all OP exists only in extremely minute amounts.” J. R. P A R T I X G T O N .
+ +
Gmelins Handbuch der anorganischen Chemie. 8 Buflage. Herausgegeben von der Deutschen Chemischen Gesellschaft. System-Kummer 27 : Magnesium. Teil B. Lieferung 3. 26 x 18 cm.; pp. xiv 331-422. Berlin: Verlag Chemie, 1938. Price: 12 RM. This section includes cyanogen compounds, the formate, acetate, oxalate, tartrate, and compounds with silicon, phosphorus, arsenic, antimony, and bismuth. T h e organic acids are those chosen for inclusion in all parts of the Handbuch and represent those which form compounds of interest in inorganic chemistry. T h e information is very complete and critical on physical and physicochemical properties; numerical data, a s well as the preparative and chemical properties and reactions, are given. T h e information is based on t h e latest literature, this being clear in the section on t h e phosphates, for example, and in some cases patent literature is reviewed; it is stated, for example, t h a t magnesia is used in sugar refining. The section on silicates is very complete and well documented and is of considerable interest from the mineralogical side. The section is an excellent example of the high standard of the whole work.
+
J. R.
PARTINGTOX.
The Properties of Glass. By GEORGEW. ~ I O R E Y 561 . pp. Kew York: Reinhold Publishing Corporation, 1938. Price: $12.50. This volume, which is an important contribution t o the literature on glass, comes from the pen of one whose personal researches rank him as a leader in physicochemical development in t h e field of glass technology. I t is natural, therefore, t h a t he should stress the physical properties and testing of glass. The introductory chapter on history and definition is unique, in t h a t i t includes archeological material a s well as glass production. Chapter 11, on devitrification, is a masterly presentation from the standpoint of the phase law, with which the
