The section on fuels covers solids (24 pages), liquids (25 pages), and gases (58 pages). The section on comhustion systems for various fuels (53 pages) is very well illustrated and contains sub-sections on principles of combustion, mechsniertlly fired svstema. svstems for law made fuels. " comhustion of vegetable wastes, pulverized fuel firing, high intensity combustion systems, control methods, and a. sub-section on types of burners. A section on steam (114 pages) covers the various types of boilers and auxiliary equipment, automatic control and instrumentation, economy of steam raising, waste heat boilers, steam distribution problems, combined power and heat systems, and is also well illustrated. The section on electrical instaUations (62 pages) is a good compilation of interesting and informative material for the d s sign of electrical systems. The section on water supplies (111 pages) containins a subsection on water quality (76 pages). Material in this seotion is very similar to other material that has been published except that the prep entittion is well organiaed and placed in one compact volume. The last section on effluenttreatment and disposal (133 pages) presents a good discussion on pollution problems which is general enough so that the information would be applicable in this country as well as in the European countries. The writing of this volume is consistent with the excellent presentations in the previous volumes. Volume 10 is published out of sequence. Volumes 1 to 6 and Volume 11 have been published. Further volumes are in preparation.
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three volume treatise, "The Nucleic Acids," edited by Chargaff and Davidson. A number of topics covered in the recent third volume of this work are somewhat more up-to-date than in the book under review. These volumes with their much wider range of topics must remain the best assembly of basic informtion on the nucleie acids. Few readers who have this set 8vd.ilable to them will find Jordan's book to offer either significantly different information or a significantly different viewpoint.
JAMES L. FAIRLEY Michigan State University East Lansing, Michigan
Inlfoduction to Solids
Leonid V. Azdroff, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago. MoGrawHill Book Co., Inc., New York, 1960. xiv 460 pp. Figs. and tables. 16 X 23.5 cm. $9.50.
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This new text on the solid st& should "from a crystitllogritphic point of view." The author's purpose "to use the crystallinity of solids as a framework in discussing their nature and properties" has certainly been fulfilled, but at the expense of discussing fabrication and evduluation methods, end uses of materids, or eampmative p r o p erties. Thus while the book probably serves the purpose for which it was intended-the exposition of fundamental concepts of the solid state to students of varied h a c k g r o u n d ~ i is t not a source of specialized data. in particular areas. JOHN J. MCKETLA Specialists will probably feel that their The University of Tezas pet fields have been slighted. Chemists Austin, Tezas and physicists will notice the absence of such keywords as crystal field, JahnTeller ion, pore cadudion, bismuth telluride, garnet, and maser in the Index or the text. Ceramists will probably he The Chemistry of Nucleic Acids disappointed by the almost complete neglect of polycrystalline systems. MiuD. 0.Jwdan, University of Adelaide, eralogists will find nothing on high pressure South Australia. Buttemorths, Washphases such as coesite or jade. However, ington, D. C., 1960. ix 358 pp. Figs. metallurgists should feel at home because and tables. 15 X 22 cm. $10.50. much of the crystallographic discussion uses metallurgical examples. This book is devoted solely to the orThe approach is non-mathematical ganic and physical chemistry of the nucleic and descriptive. Much of the mathematacids and their components. Its best use ics which is used is not essential to the would appear to be as a text for the rather discussion and seems to be thrown in as rare chemistry course restricted to these window dressing. Each chapter has a topics, although it would also be of value set of exercises which greatly enhances to the physical or organic chemist wishing the value of the book. Students should a relatively uncluttered, relatively inexfind these problems stimulating. Direct pensive presentation of the chemistry references to the literature are not used, of these biologically important compounds. but each chapter has a supplementary The treatment approaches that of a reading list, mostly an standard books literature review, replete with references in the field. There are only three 1958 but deficient in critical evaluation. Most and two 1959 references, giving a certain of the writing was apparently completed historical air to a subject which is exin 1958. A number of significant recent periencing a vigorous growth. On the advances are therefore absent. One puzother hand, the treatment is quite basic ding feature is the omission of any discusand sound and the book will be useful sion of the methods developed by Khoin years to came as a reference in such rana and his associates for the synthesis topics ss stomio packing principles in of nucleotides and oligonucleotides. solids. The text is somewhat austere One must note that most of the material and could be improved by the more of Jorden's book can be found, usually in frequent use of specific examples related more detail, often in similar fashion, and to the principles being discussed. The in part supplied by Jordan, himself, in the
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Journol of Chemical Education
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austerity is heightened by the lack of tabular experimental data an typical compounds. There is more mrtterisl then can be used in a one semester course. The chapter layout will allow the instructor considerable leeway in the choice of subject matter. The four appendices are useful, particulady the ones on Ahrens atomic radii and the listing of the 230 space groups according to the order in the International Tables. The Ahrens radii have proven very useful in studying transition metal compounds and their use should be encouraged. A few typographical errors will not cause any trouble. There are same questionable statements such as saying that the spectral symbol j'stands for "further" (it stands for "fundamental"), and saying that the peaks of permittivity vs. T and of C, vs. T for BaTiOa occur at the Curie point for the same reason (permittivity decreases below the Curie point because of saturation effects). All in all, the text will serve the intended purpose of elementary instruotion, hut there is still a need for texts in particular areas such as solid-state inorganic ehemistry. RICHARD C. CARLSTON Crumn~anAircraft Engineering Corporation Bethpage, Long Island, Kew l'ork
Microanalysis by the Ring Oven Technique
Herbert Weisr, Technische Hochschule, Vienna. Pergamon Press, Inc., New York, 1961. 112 pp. Figs. and tables. 15 X 22 em. $5.
The ring oven technique was introduced by Professor Weisz in 1954 as a means of accomplishing systematic separations on s single drop of solution. Since its introduction, the technique has been adapted to quantitative procedures and dozens of fascinating applications have been evolved, exteuding from the teaching of qualitative analysis to the handling of radioactive substances. The remarkable simplicity and utility of the ring oven technique has elicited widespread interest, and it is timely and fitting that Professor Weisz has collected the information on this method and made it rtvailahle in the form of s. monograph. The scope of the book is sufficient to give enough iilformation so even the noninitiated analyst can develop the necessary technique and find aorth-while applications for the method. The discussion of the apparatus and its use includes a description of the ring oven, which is now commerrially available, as well as the attendant hits of equipment for handling the small amounts of liquids and gases employed in ring oven operations. The descriotion of workinr techniaue includes
