JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL EDUCATION
254
HANDBOOK OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE Edited by Fred C. Blonck, Chief Research Chemist, H.J. Heinz Company, and Administrative Fellow, Mellon Institute of Industrial Research. Reinhold Publishing Corp., New York, 1955. vii 1039 pp. Figs. and tables. 16 X 23.5 em. $12.50.
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a prayer. It covers an enormous field of knowledge in condensed form and in a handy volume of about 1000 pages. Twenty-six concise chapters, written by outstanding experts, provide a wealth of up-to-date information on such important subjects as soils, microbiology, plant growth, fertilizers, agricultural chemicals, nutrition, food storage, food processing, cereals, dairy products, fats and oils, sea foods, meat, packaging, quality control, waste disposal, and food laws. Most welcome is the wide use made of charts, tables, and synoptic presentations of chemical formulas, which features offer a maximum of information on s very limited space. Space does not permit reviewing each contribution, but it should he said that the chapter "Insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides," by C. C. Roan, Department of Entomology, Kansas State College; "Growth regulators, their nature and action," by LawrenceP. Miller, Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research; and "Vegetable fats and oils," by E.W. Eckey, Research Lsboratory, Cincinnati, are classics of clarity and comprehensiveness, while the chapter "Oxidativerancidity andantioxidants," by Ray W. Riemenschneider, Eastern Utiliestion Research Branch. U. S. Department of Agriculture, Philadelphia, is the best treatment of this very difficult and controversial suhjeot which the reviewer bas readiu many years. Finally it should be noted that treating "Theessential nutrientd'on 20 pageswithout missing any important aspect of this large and eamplicated subject is a feat worthy of such a master in his field as D. M. Hegsted of Harvard University's School of Public Health. There is another most desirable benefit whieh the perusal of Blanck's "Handbook" will bring to its many readers, though editor, contributors, and publisher might not have been aware of it when embarking upon their outstanding undertaking. At a. time of increasing specialization and mushrooming expansion of knowledze. when scientific workers are in daneer of losinn contact
In this book, Captain Leyson has described in detail and in simple language several "modern wanders!' These include guns, ammunition, locks, nuclear power, UHF radio waves, phonograph records, hydraulic transmission, and westher instruments. Each item is covered thoroughly yet in language that young people with little technical training can understand. Chapter six interested me particularly because it dealt with locks. I often have wondered about the mechanics of the modern lock and this chapter satisfied my curiosity. Both ancient and modern needs and problems in the field of locks and how these problems were solved as well as the history of locking devices were included in this discussion. The section on nuclear power and the submarine "Nautilus" answered many questions on the subject whieh I had unsuccessfully tried to answer for several years. The nature of the atom, radioactive decay, nuclear fission, the atomic pile, heat exchangers, and the future of the atom were explained in a slightly technical but easily understandable manner. UHF, the television camera, the television kinescope tube, and some general theory of the manner in which each works a e the subject of another chapter. Several uses of UHF were also discussed. This chapter will answer many questions the average person usually has. The hydraulic clutch is one of the modern miracles which few people really understand. Most people consider it "a collection of gems and things" connected somehow to their car. Captain Leyson describes it in detail and tells some of the theory of its operation. The torque converter, fluid clutch, and their means of assembly are each covered. Weather instruments form an interesting chapter. The anemometer. thermometer. barometer. and hverameter are each
prediction. I think that the purchase of this book would be a good investment for the young and old alike, as it gives a new slant on many devices which we always have taken for granted. Every subject is covered in s complete yet easily understandable way. I t will open up new horieons for the young reader. JAMES KING (Sludenl. ogc 14)
countless investigators in numerous fields of agriculture, food,
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people of the world. It is remettable that the index to Blanok's "Handhook does not live up to the high standard of the work since many important items can be located only through careful reading of the text. ~~~
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FRANCIS J. WEISS
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OPERATIONI M ~ S S L O N TO N I C A A A ~ U A
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MORE MODERN WONDERS AND HOW THEY WORK
Coptoin Burr W.Ley30n. E. p. Dutton a Co., Inc.* New York, 1955. 215 pp. Figs. 14 X 21 cm. $3.50. NOWADAYS many young people have come to look upon our modern wonders as simple conveniences instead of complex machines. Others realize the complexity of these machines, but do not have any idea of the principles upon whioh they work. I believe that many people would find this book an excellent and interesting source of information about many modern devices which they do not understand. They might become more interested in the fields it covers and consider going into one of these fields as a. vocation.
1955. v 82.50.
+ 164 pp.
52 tables. 15.5 X 23 cm. Piper bound:
THIS is a technical publication which is chiefly interesting to those actually engaged in the analysis of old coins. I t gives in detail the analytical methods to be employed and discusses the factors which can affect the results. I t gives a particularly clear discussion of the significance of soecific eravitv determinations as compared to chen&sl analyses'in de&rmining the fineness of silver coins. From all of this it might be assumed that the hook would he of little interest to the general reader, and it is true that he would probably skip much of it. Nevertheless the results described in this book show the importance of the application of chemical methods to archaeology. The results reveal matters of interest to the historian, and to the historieally-minded layman. Most of the coins analyzed showed about the same silver content, but those from the reign of one Parthian king, Orodes I, showed a sharp and progressive debasement through his entire rule. The correlation of this debasement with the political and economic events makes a. most interesting story. I t could not have been revealed in any other way. HENRY M. LEICESTER
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