book reviews The Merck Index
8th edition. Edited by Paul G. Stecher, Merek & Co., Inc., Rehway, New Jersey. Merck & Co., Inc., Itahway, 1713 pp. New Jersey, 1968. xii Figs. $15.
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This new edition of the Merek Index contaius 2,000 more entries in the monograph section, more synonyms in the cross index of names, and several new reference features, in addition to the revised tabular data and organic name reactions. More than 9,500 chemicals and drugs are arranged alphabetically by generic or nonproprietary name. Nearly 5000 chemical structures are illustrated and toxicity and medical uses are described for about 4,800 chemicals. A chemical formula index is new in this edition. Other new features include: abbreviations adopted by USAN and WHO for organic radicals; code letters used by various companies for experimental compounds; and a n indexed table of contents. The extensive expension and revisions in the monographs and the additional reference features should enhance the usefulness of this standard work.
JANET B. VANDOREN College of Wooster Wooster, Ohio 44691 Life of John William Slrun, Third Baron Rayleigh
Robert John Strutt, Fourth Baron Rauleigh (An Augmented Edition with snnotations by the author and a Foreword by John N. Howard), The University of Wisconsin Press, Madison, Wis., 1968. xxii 439 pp. Photographs. 14 X 22 cm. $10.
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This excellent biography of Lord Rsyleigh (1842-1919) by his son (1875-1947) was originally published in 1924. The son, also a physicist, resigned his position to go through his father's manuscripts and papers in prepmatian for this extremely readable account of Rayleigh's life and accomplishments. The hook was well received. Soon after the publicstion, the biographer began t o prepare for a possihle next edition; he used a specially made interleaved copy and wrote down annotations and later items, as well as corrections. However, these notes were not published and the augmented biography remained as it was left by Rayleigh's son. The present printing has now taken the additional material into account and indicated in the main text the proper place of insertion. The notes themselves appear in the Appendix. Rayleigh's work ranged widely and i t has been well said that "he took all physics as his province!' A survey of the 6-volume set of his Collected Papers (now available in a 3-volume set from Dover Publications) reveals that among the 446 p q w s there i~ a fairly equal representation of mrtthematics, light, heat, electricity, magnetism, and the properties of (Cmtinued on page A992)
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book reviews gases, liquids, and solids. He took a keen interest in psychical research. He preferred t o employ simple apparatus where ~ossihleand invariably constructed in his own laboratory any equipment that could be made there. Chemists will be psrticularly interested in the chapter devoted to the discovery of argon. This feat, grew directly out'of his determinations of the density of oxygen and hydrogen. Nit,rogen was next on t,he list and after extensive preliminary work he became convinced that nitrogen from the atmosphere and nitrogen from chemical sauces had distinct densities. He enlisted the aid of William Ramsay, who supplied the chemical know-how. It should he pointed out that i t was Dewar, not Ramsay, who called Rayleigh's att,ention to the century-old Cavendish observat,ion that, a tiny portion of atmospheric nitrogen would not unite with oxygen when these two gases were sparked together. The story of this great moment in chemical history is told here in much detail. RALPHE. OESPER University of Cincinnati Cincinnati, Ohio A Handbook for the kientiflc and Technical Secretary Geo~geFreedman, Raythean Co., Wdtham, Massachusetts. Barnes and No300 ble. Inc.. New York. 1967. xiv p p Figs. and tableb. 15.5 X 23 cm. $3.95. Soft cover.
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This handbook differs from others of its kind in that it is writ,ten by one who is not, and never will be, a seeret,ary. I t is written for the secretary of a physical scientist by a. physical scientist from the employer's paint of view and does not include those facet,s of s. secretary's work that already have been included in her training and previous non;scientific work experiences. Mr. Freedman bases his hook on the belief that if the secretary of a chemist, mathematician, or engineer has a basic understanding of her employer's field, she will find her tasks much more interesting and rewarding and thus will improve the caliber and quality of her work. The book consists of two parts: Part I deals with a treatment in "secretarial language" of the basic scientific disciplines of chemistry, mathematics, physics, electricity, and electronics. Each chapter consists of a n Introduction, Explanatory Text, Some Examples, and a. Short Summary. Part I1 serves as a guide to some secretarial techniques which are necessary to the technical and scientific secretary's work but are not included in her training. Specific examples include elementary drafting techniques and tools, the use of Typits, and some examples of well-typed tables and pages from t,be fields of chemistry, mmathem&x, physics, and electronics. Part I1 also includes the following glassaries: Prefixes, Buffixes Technical and Scientific Abbreviations, (Catinued a page A994)
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