The "Handbook of Soap Manufacture" by W. H. Simmons and H. A. Appleton is an
inclusive guide that has been dedicated to industry workers and newcomer
stakeholders interested in soap production. It contains the constitution of oils
and fats, discussing their saponification processes, while describing raw
materials for soapmaking. It consists of practical subjects such as bleaching
and processing of ingredients, different types of soaps, perfume incorporation,
glycerine production, glycerine purification, analysis of raw materials, etc.
Therefore, facilitating very complex information, this book can simply be said
to be the precious gold of any individual who wishes to gain a thorough
understanding of the soap industry along with production techniques.
The
book of John Mastin works very thoroughly and takes up all the information
related to precious stones, be it for the practitioner or the enthusiast. This
manuscript works out the origin of gems in detail and lists their physical
properties-crystalline structure, color, hardness, and specific gravity. An
interesting add-on included in the book is the influence that magnetic and
electric fields will have on gemstones, explaining to the reader the particular
characteristic qualities of each gemstone. From this perspective, the cutting of
stones, imitations, and testing methods are analyzed. Whether for teaching
purposes or simple curiosity, this book is an informative guide for any
interested person in the allure of precious stones, as relevant for the general
public as it is in the jewelry world.
Laboratory
manuals and the like generally contain little more than mere descriptions of
technical methods of analysis, and explanations of the underlying chemical
principles or of their applications are seldom attempted. It is evident that
such books can be of very little help to students. The mechanism of the
reactions involved in analytical methods is by no means so clear that
explanation is unnecessary, since a student usually begins technical analysis at
a comparatively early stage in his course. This book is a solution for all these
difficulties.The author, as lecturer in the Darmstadt Technical School, knows
from his long experience that it is just the emphasis laid upon the technical
application of an analysis which deepens the student's knowledge and
understanding of chemical processes.