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The collected Works of Irving Langmuir; Vol. 7, Protein Structures; Vol. 8, Properties of Matter ; Vol. 9, Surface Phenomena
Book reviews
1069
Undoubtedly specialist readers in the various fields reviewed in this volume will find grounds for justifiable criticism on matters of detail, but on the whole the book is intended to command the attention of a much wider audience interested in, but not necessarily closely associated with, those aspects of analytical chemistry which have received such impetus from the demands of nuclear science. To such an audience the book can be recommended; it is well produced and contains copious reference to the original literature. A notable omission from the work is electrochemical analysis, and it is to be hoped that this will be rectified in a subsequent volume. I. K. FOREMAN
MicrodifFuaionAnaIysis aad Volumetric Error. E. 3. CONWAY.5th revised edition, Crosby Lockwood and Son Ltd., London, 1962. Pp xviii i 467,42s. IN a review of the 4th revised edition of Microdi$usion Am&is (Talanfa, 1959, 2, 98), the present reviewer drew attention to the responsibility of an author to his readers to provide a periodically revised text. The continued success of a book depends very much on how effective the revision is. With Professor Conway’s book, the publishing history reflects how well the techniques of microdiffusion analysis have been received by successive generations of chemists and biochemists, and how great is the present interest in the subject. A comprehensive review of this book is uncalled for. The reviewer has no intention of preaching to the converted, but for those who have little or no experience of microdiffusion analysis, it may s&ice to state that here is the one authori~tive text on the subject which not only contains all the important and relevant material from the earlier editions, but also has the advantage of containing much new material incorporated into the text since the 4th edition appeared in 1957. The revision is by no means superficial; Professor Conway lists in his preface the several new apptications of the technique which are now included in the text. Attention has also been given to developments in the design and construction of the microdiffusion cells. This revision wilt be welcomed by all those familiar with the methods of microdiffusion analysis not only because of the increased utility of the book to themselves, but also because they can confidently recommend an up-to-date account of the technique to their students and colleagues as yet uninitiated to the methods. W. I. STEPHEN
The Collected Works of Irving Langmuir; Vol. 7, Protein Structures; Vol. 8, Properties of Matter; Vol. 9, Surface Phenomena. General Editor, GUY SUITS. Pergamon Press Limited, Oxford, 1961. Fp xiii -i_ 227; xxix t 251; and xxi ii_ 521. lOO/- net per volume. THE publication of the works of Irving Langmuir in twelve volumes is a worthwhile task only because of the importance of Langmuir’s contributions to the subjects which he investigated. The importance of his work stems not only from the clarity and brillance of his publications but also from the inspiration and influence which they had on others who followed after him. Perhaps the most valuable effect of the present volumes wiil be to induce more people to read some of Langmuir’s work in the original form rather than to rely on the accounts condensed and distilled from one textbook to the next-a process which may retain the essence but certainly destroys the flavour of his work. Each volume has one or two introducto~ chapters by authorities in the respective fields. Dr. Harry Sobotka in Volume 7 gives a fairly extensive survey describing the influence of Langmuir’s work on protein structures on subsequent research. Dean Henry Eyring’s introduction to Volume 8 is more personal in character and Volume 9, which is divided into two parts, has articles by Professor N. K. Adam relating to evaporation, condensation and adsorption and by Dr. W. A. Zisman on monomolecular films, The volumes are clear, readable and well-produced. Thedivis~on of the papers into the respective volumes is perhaps not ideal; e.g., some of those in Volume 8 are very closely related to many in Volume 9, but the problem of the appropriate grouping of the work is obviously difficult, The method of charging the same sum for each volume seems completely ~justi~abIe except on grounds of administrative convenience. The price of tOO/- for a substantial volume:like No. 9 seems high enough but, since Volumes 7 and 8 are considerably smaller, one is left with the conclusion that they are grossly over-priced. C. KEM~ALL
1069
Undoubtedly specialist readers in the various fields reviewed in this volume will find grounds for justifiable criticism on matters of detail, but on the whole the book is intended to command the attention of a much wider audience interested in, but not necessarily closely associated with, those aspects of analytical chemistry which have received such impetus from the demands of nuclear science. To such an audience the book can be recommended; it is well produced and contains copious reference to the original literature. A notable omission from the work is electrochemical analysis, and it is to be hoped that this will be rectified in a subsequent volume. I. K. FOREMAN
MicrodifFuaionAnaIysis aad Volumetric Error. E. 3. CONWAY.5th revised edition, Crosby Lockwood and Son Ltd., London, 1962. Pp xviii i 467,42s. IN a review of the 4th revised edition of Microdi$usion Am&is (Talanfa, 1959, 2, 98), the present reviewer drew attention to the responsibility of an author to his readers to provide a periodically revised text. The continued success of a book depends very much on how effective the revision is. With Professor Conway’s book, the publishing history reflects how well the techniques of microdiffusion analysis have been received by successive generations of chemists and biochemists, and how great is the present interest in the subject. A comprehensive review of this book is uncalled for. The reviewer has no intention of preaching to the converted, but for those who have little or no experience of microdiffusion analysis, it may s&ice to state that here is the one authori~tive text on the subject which not only contains all the important and relevant material from the earlier editions, but also has the advantage of containing much new material incorporated into the text since the 4th edition appeared in 1957. The revision is by no means superficial; Professor Conway lists in his preface the several new apptications of the technique which are now included in the text. Attention has also been given to developments in the design and construction of the microdiffusion cells. This revision wilt be welcomed by all those familiar with the methods of microdiffusion analysis not only because of the increased utility of the book to themselves, but also because they can confidently recommend an up-to-date account of the technique to their students and colleagues as yet uninitiated to the methods. W. I. STEPHEN
The Collected Works of Irving Langmuir; Vol. 7, Protein Structures; Vol. 8, Properties of Matter; Vol. 9, Surface Phenomena. General Editor, GUY SUITS. Pergamon Press Limited, Oxford, 1961. Fp xiii -i_ 227; xxix t 251; and xxi ii_ 521. lOO/- net per volume. THE publication of the works of Irving Langmuir in twelve volumes is a worthwhile task only because of the importance of Langmuir’s contributions to the subjects which he investigated. The importance of his work stems not only from the clarity and brillance of his publications but also from the inspiration and influence which they had on others who followed after him. Perhaps the most valuable effect of the present volumes wiil be to induce more people to read some of Langmuir’s work in the original form rather than to rely on the accounts condensed and distilled from one textbook to the next-a process which may retain the essence but certainly destroys the flavour of his work. Each volume has one or two introducto~ chapters by authorities in the respective fields. Dr. Harry Sobotka in Volume 7 gives a fairly extensive survey describing the influence of Langmuir’s work on protein structures on subsequent research. Dean Henry Eyring’s introduction to Volume 8 is more personal in character and Volume 9, which is divided into two parts, has articles by Professor N. K. Adam relating to evaporation, condensation and adsorption and by Dr. W. A. Zisman on monomolecular films, The volumes are clear, readable and well-produced. Thedivis~on of the papers into the respective volumes is perhaps not ideal; e.g., some of those in Volume 8 are very closely related to many in Volume 9, but the problem of the appropriate grouping of the work is obviously difficult, The method of charging the same sum for each volume seems completely ~justi~abIe except on grounds of administrative convenience. The price of tOO/- for a substantial volume:like No. 9 seems high enough but, since Volumes 7 and 8 are considerably smaller, one is left with the conclusion that they are grossly over-priced. C. KEM~ALL