VOL. 8, No. 9
RECENT BOOKS
infer that in general excellence this text has improved with each edition since 1897, and that its popularity and usefulness will he increased by the seventh edition. H. H. BARBER
1907
rapidly as that of biochemistry today. Our ideas are changing rapidly and new facts are accumulating as the result of an enormous amount of research work. The hook serves well, however, its purpose and should offer an easy opportunity for the U-RSITY OF MINNESOTA MINNBAPOLIS. MINN. new beginners to acquire important information and make an orderly approach An Introduction to Biochemistry. ROGER to the further study of biochemistry. J. WILLIAMS, Ph.D., Professor of ChemThe subject matter of the b w k is taken istry, University of Oregon. First edi- up under six sections covering in general tion. D. Van Nostrand Co., Inc., New the following topics: 501 pages. York City, 1931. xiv 1. Cell Structure, Living and Non-Liv14 X 21.5 cm. $4.00. ing Portions of Organisms. This texthwk is designed to give stu2 Nutritional Requirements of Organdents of medicine, biology, home economisms. ics, and agricultue an acquaintance with 3. Mechanisms Used by Organisms in the broader and fundamental aspects of General for Promoting and Regulatthe rapidly growing subdivision of sciing Chemical Changes. ence--biochemistry. The author empha4 Metabolism of Single Cells. sizes the f a d that the chemistry of life is 5. Metabolism in Green Seed Plants now becoming a subject of great interest 6. Metabolism in Mammals. to many organic chemists, and has enAs will he seen from reading these secdeavored to interpret in this text the imtion headings, emphasis is h i d on the bioportant chemical and biological phenomlogical aspects of biochemistry rather than ena of the subject matter embraced under the chemical. Stated b r i d y the author the general expression, "chemistry of orhas endeavored to give information as ganisms." A student who will follow completely as possible and t o answer the closely the general discussion as presented following questions: (1) Of what are orin this hook will acquire a g w d fundaganisms composed? (2) What do ormental knowledge of the underlying basic ganisms take from their environment principles characterizing the science of during growth? (3) How do they mainbiochemistry. The author presupposes tain themselves during their life cycle? that any student t o follow understandingly In the discussion of chemical transformahis text will have had a t least one year's tions occurring in living organisms, the course in chemistry and an additional author has necessarily been obliged t o repreparatory course in the principles of strid himself. To handle properly this organic chemistry. A knowledge of the feature of biochemistry would call for the elementary topics of physical chemistry construction of another very large hook. and familiarity with the basic principles The book fits in well with the modern adof general biology are also very essential. vanof educational work in chemistry The author acknowledges the assistance of and should serve a useful purpose in genseveral workers in this country, who have eral instruction in hiochemistry. made important contributions in hioTREAT B. JOHNSON chemistry, in the construction of his book, YALEu m n s , r u and the general arrangement and selection NBW HAY^. CONN. of topics for presentation indicates that the author has conscientiously endeavored Lehrbuch der allgemeinen Physiologie. to present a useful and instructive text. ERNSTGELLHORN,a.0. h f e s s o r of I t is not easy to coiirdinate the literature Physiology. University of Halle, a t of a field of science which is gmwing so present Associate Professor of Physiol-
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