BOOK REVIEWS 'I'ASCHENBUCH FUR DIE •rACHSIN- DUSTR1E, edited by C. Ludecke with L. Ivanovszky. Wissenschaftliche Verlagsanstalt M.b.H., Stuttgart, Germany. 1958. 718 pages, illus- trated and indexed, size 6a/4 X 4l/2 inches. Price DM 48. This is the fourth edition of a book which in its comprehensive coverage and authoritative treat- ment reflects the author's experience in this field extending over a period of more than half a century. The book is divided into the following nine parts: I. Introduction, For- mation, History, Definitions, and Classification, II. Natural Waxes, III. Mineral Waxes, IV. Chemi- cally Modified and Synthetic Waxes, V. Commercial Grades of Waxes, Their Properties and Their Evalu- ation, VI. Auxiliary Products for the Wax Industry, VII. Applica- tion of Waxes, VIII. Analysis of Waxes and Wax-Based Products, and IX. Tables, Index and Refer- ences. Part II deals with the natural waxes grouped as follows: (a) animal waxes, including beeswax, chinese insect wax, shellac wax, spermaced and lanolin, (b) vege- tablewaxes, including the palmwaxes (carnauba, ouricoury and caranday) and grass waxes (candelilla, sugar cane and esparto), (c) vegetable tallows of wax-like character (e.g., Japan wax, bay-berry wax), (d) fossil waxes and (e) compounded waxes. Part III discusses the different mineral waxes, their composition, production and purification. Part IV considers not onlv the effects of oxidation, reductionl con- densation, hydrogenation, chlorina- tion, polymerization, and depoly- merization procedures upon waxes of vegetable and mineral origin, but it concerns itself also with wax acids and wax alcohols. Reference is made in this chapter to the pro- duction of fatty acids from paraffin, also to the IG-waxes derived from lignite (montan) wax. There is also a listing of polyoxyethylene waxes (Carbowaxes), their esters and condensation products. Part V discusses, among other things, the qualities which are im- parted to the finished product by particular waxes, e.g., in terms of gloss, body, homogeneity, emul- siftability, etc. It also gives a se- lection of tests relevant to the ul- timate use of wax compositions, such as film forming, hardness of film, its duration, slip etc. Among the auxiliary materials discussed in Part VI are stearin, olein, dyes, plasticizers, resins, sili- cones, solvents, also aerosol pro- pellents. The application of waxes, as reviewed in Part VII, covers the production of candles, of floor and automobile waxes, and shoe pol- ishes. The book contains a wealth of data not only for the wax chemist and technologist, but also for the businessman concerned with com- merce in, or use of waxes and wax products.--EM•L G. Lehn and Fink Products Corp. 373

374 ,|OURNAL OF THE SOCIETY OF COSMETIC CHEMISTS PHOTOMICROGRAPHY, by Roy M. Allen. Second Edition. D. Van Nostrand Co., Inc., Princeton, N.J. 1958. 441 pages, illustrated and indexed, size 6 X 9 inches. Price $9.00. In the second edition of his book, Dr. Allen has brought up to date an excellent review of equipment and techniques, taking cognizance of the important developments of the 17 years since the first edition. The discussion of basic principles can serve as an excellent introduc- tion to lighting, optical principles and microscopy in general. The survey of photomicrographic equip- ment can be very helpful to the scientist who will not normally have an opportunity to compare directly the varied types of equipment avail- able. Particularly pleasing is the in- clusion of a chapter on homemade equipment, because modern com- mercially available equipment is so costly that many scientists might be discouraged from undertaking pho- tomicrographic work without some guidance on improvisation. The chapter on technique of photomicrography is good as far as it goes, but it deals entirely with the optical aspects of technique. In this reviewer's opinion, the major problems of photomicrography are not with light, m•croscope, fil- ters, camera, etc., but with the object being examined. As Dr. J. H. L. Watson of Edsel B. Ford Institute for Medical Research has so aptly put it: "Manipulation of the instrument is not microscopy. Rather, the science (which too often may be less a science than an art) centers on manipulation of the specimen and interpretation of mi- crographs." In this critical area, Dr. Allen's book offers the reader relatively little guidance. Although the book has an appendix of over 50 out- standing illustrative photomicro- graphs that demonstrate beyond doubt the superb technique of the author, they provide the novice only with "a mark to shoot at," as Dr. Allen puts it. They offer little guidance with respect to sample preparation, and hold out only the promise that it may take 40 years of experience to equal the results. The book deals with special pho- tomicrographic processes, and de- votes an entire new chapter to phase microscopy. The chapters on electron micros- copy and microphotography seem out of place in this book, and are to() brief to be of any real value. The chapter on photographic processes is useful. The book is excellent from the point of view of printing and bind- rag. It is remarkably free of typo- graphical errors. The illustrations are profuse and outstanding. The index is good. So far as value is concerned, this depends on the needs of the reader. If he is inexperienced with respect to optical principles, photomicro- graphic equipment and the manipu- lation of the microscope, he can learn much from this book. If he is inexperienced with respect to prep- aration of samples for microscopy, he will have to supplement this book with other guidance.--ML-•^•' B•mc}c, Evans Research and I)e- velopment Corp. PHOSPHORUS AND ITs COMPOUNDS, Vol. I., by John R. Van Wazer. Interscience Publishing, Inc., New York 1, N.Y. 1958. 954 pages, illustrated and indexed. Price $27.50. Though a text on either inorganic or organic chemistry cannot be considered complete without a con- siderable treatment of the corn-