Books of the microscope (including uses in the humid tropics and with radioactivity), then on to methods of measurement, microscope optics, light sources, photomicrography, methods of handling, preparing and studying different materials, most of the kinds of microscopies (regular transmitted and reflected light, polarized light, phase, interference, electron and, finally, proton microscopy), and, along the way, laboratory methods of working glass. The addendum, etc., follow. This is not a textbook, for, aside from its errors and misdirection, it neither introduces nor develops basic concepts, as a general rule. It is not a handbook (let alone comprehensive), since its format and content are not what one would expect of a handbook. It is a potpourri of information, much of dubious value, some wrong. This socalled handbook is not for the neophyte, the beginner, the one seeking guidance. It may interest some few qualified microscopists who will sort the good from the not-so-good (there is good!). My primary adverse criticism is that this book is not of this time. It is a mixture of the late 19th and early 20th centuries with some attempt at • B M M m H H K B i
a glimpse into the present. None of the coverage is really timely, and much is inadequate. Who in these days in the light of modern equipment is concerned with Nelsonian illumination (p. 116), the Paraffin lamp (p. 117), the Pointolite lamp (p. 116), and even of the carbon arc (p. 128)? This is the day of the Xenon arc, the tungsten-halogen lamp, and of built-in illumination. The draw-tube (p. 59), albeit a desirable item, is omitted in most current designs. The grinding of one's lens elements (p. 79) to replace a "frosted" element is fantastic! It is suggested (Chap. 4) after some admonition (and here I shudder) that the objective lens elements be disassembled, examined, repolished, and reassembled! Maybe so in another era, but, certainly, not in this one, even with its phenomenal prices (yes, everything is relative)! The following brief comments point to some of the many inadequacies of this book. The micrometer, nanometer, etc., are now standard nomenclature and were in 1977, but not so with Burrells (p. 5). Chapter 10 (photomicrography) pays little attention to photomacrography (the word does not
appear in the text) despite its currently well-developed state. It pays scant attention also to the use of the popular and indispensable 35-mm format (even downgrades it), to the extensive use of the various kinds of Polaroid photographic materials, and to our very efficient exposure meters. The chapter on polarized light is so very deficient in fundamentals. More and better diagrams, explanations, and photographs are needed to make the topic comprehensible and in one's grasp; e.g., there is not one photograph or sketch of an interference figure. At best, the approach to this chapter is naive. The chapter on phase microscopy too could benefit from more illuminating diagrams of the geometrical aspects of light transmission and light/ subject interaction in the phase microscope. Nowhere (in this chapter) is Zernicke mentioned; nor is the Leitz Heine condenser described, nor the Wilska anoptral system, nor the Polanret system, nor the Hoffman modulation contrast system. (Yet, this is purportedly a comprehensive handbook?) The chapter on interference microscopy covers some multiple-beam in-
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Books terferometry and then uses the bulk of the chapter to expound the theory and give a good detailed description and use of the Baker (in these USA, the AO/Baker) interference micro scope. There is no description of the Leitz Mach-Zehnder double-beam in terference microscope or of the Nomarski differential interference contrast system. The chapter on electron microscopy covers transmission electron microsco py sketchily. The very important field of scanning electron microscopy is given two paragraphs, whereas the ex perimental proton microscope is ac corded a full chapter—this is an un forgivable disparity. Nowhere are there micrographs taken with or pho tographs of the transmission and scan ning electron microscopes! The addendum is truly an after thought. The appendix would have been better incorporated in the body of the text. The index is sparse and very inadequate. The plates (mainly halftones) are scattered throughout the book with little relationship to the text and with no simple way of finding them. This is not a book which I would recommend generally.
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New Books Analytical Chemistry. 2nd ed. D. J. Pietrzyk and C. W. Frank, xix + 700 pages. A c a d e m i c Press, 111 Fifth Ave., New York, N.Y. 10003. 1979. $ 1 6 . 5 0
The text begins with a core of six chapters containing concepts basic to all of analytical chemistry. Five major areas are then emphasized: neutraliza tion, potentiometry, spectroscopy (AA, emission, and luminescence), chromatography (GC, ion-exchange, solvent extraction, and sheet and col umn methods), and electrolysis meth ods. At the end of the text, 41 labora tory experiments are given along with the appropriate references to the 30 chapters. A set of problems appears at the end of each chapter. Handbook of Reactive Chemical Haz ards. 2nd ed. L. Bretherick. xxviii + 1281 pages. Butterworths Publishers, 19 C u m m i n g s Park, W o b u r n , Mass. 01801.1979.$115
The second edition includes a struc tural formula for most of the 7000-odd entries to illustrate the structure-re activity relationship, and a full alpha betical index to all the chemicals.
Clinician and Chemist: The Relation ship of the Laboratory to the Physi cian. J . Stanton King et al., Eds. xi + 3 7 5 pages. A m e r i c a n Association for Clinical Chemistry, 1725 Κ St., N.W., Washington, D.C. 2 0 0 3 6 . 1979. $ 2 7 . 5 0
This book is the proceedings of the First Arnold O. Beckman Conference in Clinical Chemistry held in Annapo lis, Md., Sept. 28-30, 1977. Back ground concepts are first discussed, followed by a section on disease screening. Diagnostic strategies, re sponse to abnormal test data, and ed ucation in laboratory utilization are presented.
Alkali Halide Vapors. P. Davidovits and D. L. McFadden, Eds. xi + 5 4 2 pages. A c a d e m i c Press, 111 Fifth Ave., New York, N.Y. 10003. 1979. $55
The 15 chapters in the book are grouped into two main categories: structural and spectral properties of the alkali halide molecules; and dy namics of various alkali atom-halogen interactions. There is one chapter de scribing the techniques and consider ations associated with alkali halogen experiments.
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