BOOK REVIEWS of chemistry, and chemical librarians than the first. In addition t o retaining the important fundamental chapters on t,he nature and use of hand- and machincsorted punohed cards and necessary e q u i p ment, this edition contains new chapters on thc npplicstion of punched cards to spoeific arcm of importance to chemists, such as ohemical analy~is by spcctral methods and scxrohing metallurgical literature. There is also a new chapter which roviows several important applications of punrhed csrds to fields such as nucloer and hiological data,,photvgraphy, lnboratory records, t,echmeal aerviccs, market research, ohemical literature, the petroleum industry, and others. The second odition also includes infor-
mation on punched card systems which have afisumed greater importance in the years since the first edition was published, such as the "Prek-&-boo System," the "United System," and the "Zato-coding System." All hut five of the thirty chapters have been changed extensively, many being enlarged substantially. Unfortunately, the chapters on the use of punched cards for systematic indexing of orgsnio oompounds and for scientific oomputation have hem omitt,ed from this rdition, but information on the former is included in the chapters on spectral methods and chemical compounds and an extensive bibliography contains several references to material on the latter. The book has been carefully edited and suffers less than many edited books from a lack of continuity. The reader who has had absolutely no previous contact
u-ith punched cards ma\- have some dificulty in comprehending the operation of some of the svstems described. hut the to this problem. Lihrsrians in d l fields will undoubtedly appreeiat.e the emphasis given to their prohlems on classifying, roding, and retrievine reoorts. oatents. inderine. -. literature se&chhg, &I othrrareas of library work. The physical characteristics of the hook are significantly superior to thore of the first edition u-ith regard to type size (larger in the second edition) and qudity of paper and hinding. KIRSCHFER STAYLEY Wayne State Univemity Detroit, Michigan Silicones
Robert N . Meals and Fwderick M . Lewis, Silicone Products Department, General Electric Company. Reinhold Puhlishing Corp., New York, 1959. xi 267 pp. Figs. 14 X 19.5 cm. $5.05. This most recent volume in the Reinhold Plastics Applications Series will he of wider interest than some of the previous ones. Since the silicone plastics are not based on conventional organic chemistry, as most obher plastics are, the authors have found it desirable to devote almost half of the book t o a consideration of the more fundrtmental chemistry and physics which underlays the technical applications of silieonos. Thus the physical properties of these materials are related to molecular structure and properties u-henever possible and considerable detail about the pertinent chemistry of silicon is given. I n keeping xith this approach there is also a n appendix which outlines the nomenclature of organosilicon compounds. The treatment of these aspects of silicon chemiatry is, of course, not exhaustive but it does provide a good introduction to this increasingly important field. This basic discussion is followed hy chapters on manufacture, fabrication, and applications And finally a most interesting r;urve,v of the ways in which the present nrouerties of silicones may he modified in
+
....
The educational uses of this Series will he mainly in the fields of chemical engineering and industrid chemistry. THOMAS E. FERINGTOV The College qf Woosler Il'ooster, Ohio The Chemical Behavior of Zirconium
Warren B. Blumenthal, Xational Lead Company, Niagara Falls, N. Y. D. Van Nosti-and Go., Ine., Princeton, New Jersey, 1958. vi 398 pp. 16 X 23.5 cm. $11.
+
Our knowledge of the ehemistry oi zirconium is changing rapidly from that of an a r t to that of a science. The publication of this comprehensive hook will rcrtninly accelerate the transition. The author's familiarity with the field of ni~coninm chemistry is ohvious in the wide range of topics presented. The (Continued on page :I7761
A774
/
Journal of Chemical Education
