and improvements, and for teaching by courses of philosophical lectures and experiments the application of science to the common purposes of life." The RI magnificently succeeded in reaching its aims; whereas, other and similar institutions and societies disappeared during the 19th century. The RI also became the prototype of present day research institutes where research is for hire. The book chronicles well the men who made the RI and themselves world famous through their research and lecturing ahilities; from Rumford, Dsvy, Faraday, Tyndall, Dewar, Rayleigh, Bragg (father and son), Dale, Rideal, Andrade, to the present Porter. The book does not dwell on scientific accomplishments realized a t the RI, but it focuses on the personality and human relations of the RI professors. Consequently, specific references are absent, hut the hook contains an extensive list of "Some Sources" and "Suggestions for Further Reading." The author describes the life in the RI, with its periods of success and occasional financial concerns, as only an insider can properly relate from her firsthand experience. Gwendy was the official RI hostess for her father, William H. Bragg, and as such she was privy to many intimate problems and conversations. The chapters group events of every generation around the personalities of the resident professors at the RI. The hook is highly recommended to readers who like to catch the spirit of the times. John H. Wotiz Southern lllinais University
led tothis remarkable growth. The panorama of discovew heeins .. with the diseoverv of polyethylrne and i t i effect on the evolution of pulymrr scienct,dr~rribe~ssntheiti wxh both conwntiunal and Zirglcr catalystsand the concepts of stereospecificity in the polymerization of vinyl monomers, and brings the story up to date with reports on ionomers and controlled-theology resins. The book will be of interest to industrial and acadrmic p o l > ~ n rscientists r and en& nrrrs as well as lo historians ol science and technology. I.'nforrunnrcly, in addition lo the unattractiveness of the combination of various types and formats of the various papers, some of which contain free hand notations, the hook is marred by other signs of hasty publication. For example, Mark's ref ace contains no fewer than ten errors. bnd 3I.E 1'. Friedrich is spelled four differ: rnt ways un tour different page$ rtwu uayx :n e a ~ hof two chapters) with unly m e page cited in the index. George B. Kauffman CaliforniaState University. Fresno Fresno. CA 93740
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T h e ACS Style Gulde: A Manual for Authors a n d Editors Janet S. Dodd and Marianne C Brogan, (Editors), American Chemical Society, Washington. DC. 1986. xvii 264 pp. Figs. and tables. 15 X 22.8 cm. $24.95 HB US: $29.95 HE F; $14.95 PB US; $17.95 PB F.
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Carbondale. IL 62901
History of Polyoleflns: T h e World's Most Widely Used Polymers Raymond S. Seymourand Tai Cheng, (Editors). D. Reidel Publishing Company, Boston. MA. 1985. xii-336 pp. Figures. 15 X 22.3 cm. $49.50. Chemists and Chemistry Series On April 29,1985, at Miami Beach, Florida, an International Symposium on the History of the Polyolefins sponsored by the Division of History of Chemistry Was held at the 189th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society. Less than seven months later, typescripts of 15 of the 18 papers, ranging in length from 7 to 44 pages, prefaced by remarks by Herman F. Mark (3 pp.) and Frank M. MeMillan (2 pp.), and a 7page introduction to the history of polyolefins by Raymond B. Seymour, and supplemented with a 14-page paper on polypropylene resins by Tai Cheng and conclusions (3 pp.) by Raymond B. Seymour, were reproduced in book form. Although the first of the polyolefins was prepared only a little more than half a century ago, their annual worldwide production exceeds 20 billion tons. The papers collected in this volume, which is the first history of polyolefins yet published, represent the personal reminiscences and research results of man" of the Japan, and Germany) whose contributions
In 1965 the ACS issued a draft copy of a 93-page paperback "Handbook for Authors of Papers in the Research Journals of the American Chemical Society", which was published in 1967 (125 pp., $2.00). A second edition ($19.95 HB, $9.95 PB) followed in 1978. The volume under review is not merely an updated and expanded "Handbook" hut is a true style guide, which takes a more general approach and stresses principles and practices that are not limited to chemistry hut are desirable throughout the entire scientific literature. Intended as a handv reference for authors and editors on all aspects of preparing a scientific paper, this well-organized guide is designed for easy aecess and quick comprehension, and it contains much information not treated elsewhere. Three general ehapters-"The Scientific Paper" (10 pp.), "Grammar, Style, and Usage" (104 pp., almost half the length of the hook), and "Illustrations and Tables" (21 pp.1-are followed by four more specific chapters hy different authors-"Copyright and Permission" (12 pp.), "Manuscript Submissions in Machine-Readable Form" (9 pp., which made the enigma of $, $$, #, *, < >, ete. sprinkled throughout the computer proofs of my manuscripts intelligible to me for the first time), "The Literature, Becoming Part of It and Using It" (26 pp.), and "Making Effective Oral Presentations" (16 pp., which I have recommended to students in our seminar course). Six appendices (44 pp.) and an index (18 pp.) conclude this handy and useful reference volume. George B. Kauffman CaliforniaState University. Fresno Fresno. CA 93740 ~~~
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Volume 63
Number 7
July 1986
A181
