HEINEMANN’S Scientific Handbooks.
HEINEMANN’S Scientific Handbooks.
A knowledge of the practical Sciences has now become a necessity to every educated man. The demands of life are so manifold, however, that of many things one can acquire but a general and superficial knowledge. Ahn and Ollendorff have been an easy road to languages for many a struggling student; Hume and Green have taught us history; but little has been done, thus far, to explain to the uninitiated the most important discoveries and practical inventions of the present day. Is it not important that we should know how the precious metals can be tested as to their value; how the burning powers of fuel can be ascertained; what wonderful physical properties the various gases possess; and to what curious and powerful purposes heat can be adapted? Ought we not to know more of the practical application and the working of that almost unfathomable mystery—electricity? Should we not know how the relations of the Poles to the magnet-needle are tested; how we can ascertain by special analysis what produce will grow in particular soils, and what will not, and what artificial means can be used to improve the produce?
In this Series of “Scientific Handbooks” these and kindred subjects will be dealt with, and so dealt with as to be intelligible to all who seek knowledge—to all who take an interest in the scientific problems and discoveries of the day, and are desirous of following their course. It is intended to give in a compact form, and in an attractive style, the progress made in the various departments of Science, to explain novel processes and methods, and to show how so many wonderful results have been obtained. The treatment of each subject by thoroughly competent writers will ensure perfect scientific accuracy; at the same time, it is not intended for technical studentsalone. Being written in a popular style, it is hoped that the volumes will also appeal to that large class of readers who, not being professional men, are yet in sympathy with the progress of science generally, and take an interest in it.
The Series will therefore aim to be of general interest, thoroughly accurate, and quite abreast of current scientific literature, and, wherever necessary, well illustrated. Anyone who masters the details of each subject treated will possess no mean knowledge of that subject; and the student who has gone through one of these volumes will be able to pursue his studies with greater facility and clearer comprehension in larger manuals and special treatises.
The first volume will be a Manual on the Art of Assaying Precious Metals, and will be found valuable not only to the amateur, but to the assayer, metallurgist, chemist, and miner. The work will be a desirable addition to the libraries of Mining Companies, engineers, bankers, and bullion brokers, as well as to experts in the Art of Assaying.
The second volume of the Series is written by Professor Kimball, and deals with the physical properties of Gases. He has taken into account all the most recent works on “the third state of matter,” including Crooke’s recent researches on “radiant matter.” There is a chapter also on Avogadro’s law and the Kinetic theory, which chemical as well as physical students will read with interest.
In the third volume Dr. Thurston treats, in a popular way, on “Heat as a Form of Energy”; and his book will be found a capital introduction to the more exhaustive works of Maxwell, Carnot, Tyndall, and others.
On account of the requirements of the subject, a large number of wood-cuts have been made for the first volume, and the following volumes will also be fully illustrated wherever the subject is susceptible of it.
The first three volumes are now ready. Others will follow, written, like these, by thoroughly competent writers in their own departments; and each volume will be complete in itself.