Throughout the text, he conti~luslly cautions against the inereasiugly prevalent "best-fitting" syndrome. Nonethelew, although expressing justifiable in m ~ i d e r a h l yfewer pages. Essentially criticism, he does admit that digital the same experimental methods are discomputation teehniqnes should he used cussed. The majority of the experimental not only to confirm that a postulated net investigations used as examples are the of equilibria exists but also to demonstrate determination of xidity, solubility, and that individual values of a set of paramassociation constants (e.g., CuSOl Ft etem are uniquely determined by the CuC' SO,-¶)). Relaxationspectrometry data. Prue's approach is one of generas developed by Eigen is very hriefly ality whenever possible and this is not discussed. W h t is admirable is that too subtly expressed when he considers particular equilibria have been selected, e.g., solubility of TIC1 and the dissoc~at~on the equations arising out of the use of optical absorption to study simple (M constante of hi-valent sulfates, where B e MB) complexion equilibria. IIe more than one experimental method has there states that comhination of the apbeen used. The suhsequent comparisons propriate equations results in what has of the results by different methods are "been written in various forms, unnecesalways enlightening. I t is however w sarily known by pmper names." Elsegrettable that there is so little material where he refers to the "excessively on redax reactions although it may he volomino~w literature dealing with the eonfidentlv emected to remive its mavsliaus methods, graphical and otherwise, of solving the relevant sets of simultanwns equations" arising in the calculation of successive stability canstants. in a manner similar ta that for which Prue quite rightly questions the "inProfewor King's hook establishes a ertness" of inert electrolytes, particularly precedent worthy of emulation in future a t fsirly high concentrations and though volumes of this topic. ~ w o d l yextremely concise in presentation Professor Prue's exposition possesses a does give an explicit description of the distinctively British and personal flavor use of "corresponding" solutions in the as exemplified by his comment about the investigation of solubility equilibria as controversy with regard to the usage of well as overlapping complex equilibria. the terms: ion-pair, complex, and asIn conclusion, this reviewer regrets sociated ions. He declares that "the however that the entire subject of ionic invention of labels has outrun the ways of equilihria is so briefly considered . h e distinguishing between species in a signiiicause there already exists an excellent cant number of cases." This chemical and more comprehensive treatment in Oekham's mmr is mndy appmpdate ta Monk's "Electrolytic Dissociation!' many other "chemical oontroversies."
BOOK REVIEWS
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Nonethelws, because of tho low c.ardina1 nnmher uf this volume it may he confidently expected that more extensive considerations of the subjects of redox, association, and solubility equilihria will he forthcoming in future volumes uf this topic.
Jlaa~sA. GOLDM.\N Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn Brooklyn, .Vew York
Modern Men of Science
Jay E. Greene, editor-ill-chief. JlcCraw-Hill Book Co., hlc., Ken York, 1966. mi 620 pp. Ilhatratiuns. 19 X 26 em. $19.50.
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This excellent reference work is designed to provide "for a substantial number of contemporary scientists, both essential biographical data and extended descriptions of their most significant. achievements. Its authoritative articles an 426 leading oontemporary seieutists not only tell what each man did hut also describe the background of his work, the problems he faced and hulv he soIved them. In this way the articles aim to give students a. hetter underatmding of modern science and to provide some insight into the workings of the best scient,ifie minds!' This qnotation from the Preface aptly sums up the ohjective of the volume.
(Continued a puye A1681
BOOK REVIEWS The men and women included have been selected from all branches of science: engineering, medicine, psychology, ststistics, oceanography, paleontology and paleobotany, pharmacology, virology, mathematics. They are arranged alphabetically and an excellent likeness is given of each. The use of the volume is greatly facilitated by the indexes, one Analytical, the other Classijki The first provides a guide to penons, subjects, books, institutions, etc., mentioned in the text. The second lists the major scientific fields followed by the names of the men associated with them. The reliability of the sketches is guaranteed in the majority of instances by the fact that around 300 of the persons furnished autobiographical abstrttcts and personal outlines of their most significant work. The other srticles were composed by competent persons and then submitted for review and comotion to the biographies themselves. The essential biographical data are of course furnished for each entry but these are kept within strict limits; in other words the greatest part of the space is devoted to the actual scientific material. The principal pub-
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lkhed work on the main topics is given. Since the ent,ire work is based an the McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology, pertinent references to that work are given at the end of each sketch. The accounts vary in length but in no case are they unduly contracted or expanded; the average is around one page (double column). Chemists and ancillary branches receive their just share of the space. The reviewer hss read many of the sketches and has found them informative and enjoyable. They provide an excellent background or starting point for additional reading. Only a few of the subjects were dead a t the time of publicsi tion so that the book is as upto-date as is feasibly possible. Thirty-five Nobel Prize winnen are included. As is true of every undertaking of this kind, except those that strive to include everybody, this collection suffers from the fault that it does not mention a great many persons that each user will seek to find in it. Human tastes and estimates differ and the editorial bomd doubtless had mmy herd nuts to crack. The work is heertily recommended to libraries of d l categories.
RALPHE. OESPER University of Cincinnati C i w k m t i , Ohio
Gmelins Handbuch der Anorganirchen Chemie. 8. Auflage, System Nummer 57, Nickel. Teil 6, Lieferung 2, Verbindungen bis Nickel und Polonium
Edited by E. H. E. Pietach and the Gmelin Institute. Yerlag Chemie, GM1966. BH, Weinheim/Bergstrasse, xxxii 450 pp. Figs. and tables. 17.5 X 25.5 cm. $105.
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Compounds of nickel with hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, the halogens, and the chalcogens are included in this section. Literature through 1962 is completely surveyed and some more recent reference4 are included. Nickel and hydrogen topics require 58 pages because of recent investigations of the absorption of hydrogen on nickel. Over 100 pages are devoted to oxygen compounds of nickel, including a review of the unusual properties of NiO. Many halologeno-nickel and halogeno-niceolate complex ions are surveyed with references w recent as 1963. The Ni-J system is discussed extensively, and the magnetic properties of nickel sulfate are thoroughly documented. The last 20 pages are devoted to compounds with selenium, tellurium, and polonium.
JANET B. VIN DOREN College of Wooster Wooster, Ohio
