book reviews Helium--Child of the Sun
Clifford W. Seibel, U. S. Bureau of Mines (retired). The University Press of Kansas, LawrenceILondon, 1968. xiii + 138 pp. Photographs. 14 X 21.5 cm. $4.95. Helium was @st discovered in 1868 by Norman Lockyer, the amateur British astronomer, who found a line in the solar spectrum that he attributed to a. new element. In 1895, William Ramsay, who was searching for occurrences of argon other than in the earth's atmosphere, found helium in the gas evolved when such minerals as clevite were treated with acid. Smell amounts of helium were found in the gases from certain mineral springs and fumaroles. In 1905, H. P. Cady found that the gas coming from a well at Dexter, Kan., and that would not burn, contained 1.84% helium, the first discovery of a significant source of the element. No commercial uses for the inert element were found and it remained a laboratory curiosity until World War I was well under way, when the British found it necessary to find a substitute for hydrogen for inflating their balloons and blimps. Intensive searches revealed that the only adequate supply of helium was in the Kansas gases and the U. S. Government immediately began the project of extraeting the helium from these gases.
A280
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Journal of Chemical Education
This book consists largely of a condensed history of this industrial process. The author, trained in chemistry and engineering rtt Kansas, tells the story in a popular easy-to-read style. The extraction method consisted of a combination of thermodynamics, cryogenics, and absorption, spiced with a liberal amount of horse sense. In time, the oil and gas oampanies were brought into the picture, and plants centered around Amarillo, Texas, extracted the helium from the natural gases before they were sent to the consumer. It has never been satisfactorily explained why this Kansas-Texas region is unique with regard to helium-hearing natural gases. The plants increased in efficiency and quality of product, while the costs went down. When the war came to its end, many of the plants shut down because there were no customers. However, the thinking men in charge realized that natural gas that was burned before removal of the helium meant an irretrievable loss and the However, new demands for helium sprang up such as heliumshielded welding, deep seaand space explorations, medicine and surgery, chromatography, propellant systems, and others. The demands now are often greater than the supply and the storage cavern is called on. Though the government no longer exercises a monopoly in this area, it still has a big role in theindustry, and it is arealpleasure toread this account of a government project that
turned out so well in contrmt to so many that artre rightly condemned. School libraries are urged to acquire this account of the growth and development of this little scorn into a mighty oak. I t presents a. prime example of a material whose commercial values became apparent when civilization reached a sufficient height of sophistication,
RALPHE. OESPER University o j Cineinnali Cincinnati, Ohio Glass Blowing for Laboratory Technicians
R. Barhur, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. Pergamon 245 pp. Press, New York, 1968. xv Figs. and tables. 13.5 X 20.5 cm. 85.
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This book is a rather comprehensive presentation of glassblowing and related techniques that are useful in a. scientific laboratory. In the central portion of the book are maim chanters on elementarv. a mercury diffusion pump, a. Cartesian manometer, Dewar flasks, and the use of glassblowing lathes. There are also chapters on vacuum techniques, the making of ground joints, and the organizing of glassblowing courses. The author of the book is a New Zealander and the presentation is more closely related to British practices than to Ameri(Continued on page A2841
Probably even the students will agree. There are thirty-two Scientific American reprints collected here under the section headings: Micromolecular Architecture, Biological Regulators and Chemical Biodynamics. The treasure is enhanced by cross references, additional bibliographies, and s n index. The dates of original publicetion range from 1954 (Crick on The Structure of Hereditary Material) to June, 1967 (Agranoff on Memory and Protein Synthesis). Those familiar with the Scientific Ammican know the pros and cons of the clear but stylized diagrams, the well chosen photographs, and the reasonably jargon-free textual exposition. LAURENCE E . STRONG I t is an at,tractive book: in appearance, Earlham College in subject matter, and in being able to read Richmond, Indiana 47574 what the world's foremost investigators consider to be most important about their Bio-Organic Chemirhy. Readings from work.
items and the production of a variety of useful scientific glassware pieces. The authors close with a helpful list of sources can. Hence equipment details and supply of tools and materials and of books condesignations must be translated for Americerned with glsss and its workings. Most notable about the hook is the sense can readers. But the ~ r o b l e mof cuttine of enjoyment that the authors communiand joining glass tubes-is a universal one, cate to their reader. No doubt this sense and any amateur glassblower will find is most evident in the description of some portion of the book rewarding. novelties and art work that can be created LAURENCE E. STRONG in glass. Explanations are clarified by Eal-lham College excellent line drawings. Cost of t,he book Richmond, Indiana 47574 and its dramatic impact are increa~edby color plates with all but one devoted to art work. Creative Glassblowing
book reviews
James E. Hammegfahr and Clair L. Sbng. W . H . Freeman and Co., San Francisco, 1968. 196 pp. Figures. 20 X 23.5 cm. $8. Here is a stimulating book on glassblowing for the laboratory worker and the amateur artist. The first section deals briefly with the history of glass and those properties that are likely to be helpful to glassblowers. Equipment for glassblowing is described and pictured in section two with directions to help the amateur make his awn. Various elementary glassworking steps with solid glass are described in seotion three. Then in section four, the longest section of the book, basic operations with glass tubing are presented. These basic operations range from pulling a point to the construction of ring seals. I n the last two sections the authors present the preparation of various novelty
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Journal o f Chemical Education
Scientific American
Selected and with an introduction by Meluin Calvin and Margmet J . Jorgenson, University of California, Berkeley. W. H. Freeman and Company, Ssn Frrtncisco, 1968. 317 pp. Figs. and tables. 22 X 29 cm. Paperbound, $4.95; clothbound, $10.
"A set of authoritative stimulating readings written a t an introductory level could close the gap between the classically oriented elementary organic textbook and the detailed biochemical treatise." So say the editors. So too will say professors who suggest this as corollary reading.
WFK
Gmelins Handbuch der Anorganischen Chemie. 8. Auflage, System Nummer 14. Kohlenstoff. Teil B. Liekruna - 3.. Chemisches Verhalten von Graphil. Graphitvergindvngen. Kolloider Kohlenstoff
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Edited by E. H . E. Pietsch and the Gmelin Institute. Verlag Chemie, GMBH, Weinheim/Bergstrasse, 1968. xv 262 pp. Figs. and tables. 17.5 X 25.5 em. $77.
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(Continued on page A$86)
