JULY, 1954
391
breakdown into well indicated steps, followed by sections on properties and purity, provides for the experimenter exactly what he desires and needs. The use of the present tense, passive voice in giving directions is pleasing as well as adequate. The book carries a complete subject index and a list of 64 compounds of biochemical interest which have appeared in "Organic Syntheses" through Volume 32. Beginning in many cases with natural sources of materials, the book describes 26 preparations, including crystalline muscle phosphorylase, ribonuclease, diphosphopyridine nucleotide (DPN), triphosphopyridine nueleotide (TPN), pyridoxamine phosphate, pyridoxal phosphate, pmtoporphyrin dimethyl ester, d-isocitric acid, dl-isocitric acid laotone, dihydroxyfumaric acid, oxslaeetic acid, L(+) and D(-)lactic acids, sodium wketoisocaproate, D-glucose-&phosphoric acid, D-galacturonic acid, 82,5-dihydroxyphenyl-~~-aI%nine, Irisaleueine, n-isoleucine, b alloisoleucine, o-alloisoleucine, L- and DL-ornithine monohydrochlorides, L- and ~ b c i t ~ l l i (from n e ornithiue), ~citrulline(from I-arginine), bkynurenine, I.- and ~penicillaminehydrochlorides, elaidic acid, 2,4dinitraflualabeneene.
may disconcert the reader seeking information on a particular determination, since he may need to skim hack twenty or more pages to find their meanings. Reference to the index is frequently, but not always, helpful. In the same connection, methods in the appendix are preceded by cryptic symbols suggesting the preferred prior processing of the sample. The infrequent user of the book will devote too much time to finding the ineonspicuous table which allows him to decode these recommendations. Despite these minor inconveniences, the biologist or hiochemirt desiring to explore the applicability of histochemical methods to a specific problem may well turn first to Pearse's book. The treatment seems comprehensive, a conscientious effort is made to present the chemistry involved whenever possible, and the limitations and deficiencies of each procedure are critically discussed. Although frankly seeking to proselytise nonhistochemists, the author avoids exaggerated claims for his discipline. Accordingly, few among his converts should become disillusioned apostates. D. E. ATKINSON
EARL M. BILGER
FOAMS: THEORY AND INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS
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HISTOCHEMISTRY: THEORETICAL AND APPLIED
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A. G. Everson Pearse, Lecturer in Histochemistry, Postgraduate Medical School, University of London. Little, Brown and Co., 503 pages. 109 figs. 4 plates. 15.5 X Boston, 1953. viii 23.5 cm. $12.
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THIS book is presumably addressed to two main groups of readers: those performing routine clinical histochemical determinations and t,hose research workers in other fields desiring to apply hi~tochemicaltechniques to specific problems. The reviewer is qualified to speak to and for only the second of these groups and will consider the book from their standpoint. The author calls in his preface for a wider application of histochemistry, and adds that such application depends on greeter awareness of the possibilities of available techniques. A main purpose of the hook, then, is to oompile for the nonspecialist information on the potentialities, limitations, and comparative advantages of individual methods. I t would appear that this
1. J. Bikerman, in collaboration with R. B. Booth, American Cyanimid Co., I. M. Perri, National Foam Co., and C.C. Cmie, Dow-Corning Corp. Reinhold Publishing Corp., New Y o 4 1953. 347 pp. 62 figs. 16 X 23.5 em. $10. ii
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' c T volume ~ ~ ~was written for scientists who intend to profit by foam or axe plagued by it, or last but not least, are interested in foam just hecauae foam is so interesting." The authors have made foam both interesting and practical. Mr. Bikerman has prepaxed the first eleven chspters de&g with the fundamental properties of foam as a colloid system. These properties are given basic treatment with ample reference to the prior literature. Mr. Perri describes the fire-fighting foams used so successfully by the Navy during the war, and now used by industry. Mr. Booth discusses froth flotation, the basisof an everinoressing use of foam for the henefioation of low grade ores or separation of chemical compounds. Mr. Currie surveys the literature on chemical antifoaming agents for the benefit of those plagued hy foams. This book is of interest to the colloid chemist for its basic treatment of foams and to the technologist who must use or destroy foam.
detailea directions for the recommended methods are grouped in KENNETH A. KOBE a n appendix. This organization seems a desirable one, a t least UwzveRamr OF T z n ~ s of the oacssional user. in that a eomnmsfrom - ~ - - the ~ - standnoint -~ A U ~ T I N~. e x ~ s tive discussion of the different methods for a given constituent need not be broken up by recipes and procedural directions. Xach description of a method in the appendix includes a brief statement of the results and degree of specificity to be expected, 0 BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY OF so that the more detailed treatmmt in the main text need not NUTRITION. 2 VOLUMES necessarily be consulted. Some portions of the book seem aimed only a t the needs of Edited by Geoffrey H.Bourne, London Hospital Medical Colroutine clinied ttchnicians, rather than a t those of the larger lege, England, and George W. Kidder, Amherst College. audience of workers in related fields whom the author hopes to Academic Press, Inc., New York, 1953. V d . I, xiii 569 pp. reach. The treatment of fixation appears rather inadequate, and $13. Vol. 11, xi 641 pp. $15. Illustrated. 15.5 X 23.5 om. seems to be limited mainly by the feeling that, since the clinical THISauthoritative work by 14 British and 14 American writers worker may generally receive samples already fixed in formalin, "it is better to become reconciled to the evils" of such is a timely publication, I t is practiedly a treatise on biochemfixation than to arrange for other processing. Other methods are istry, since it covers RO much of the dynamic aspects of the subtherefore not extensively considered. Certainly the nonclinical ject. The first two chapteri deal with historical aspects of research worker will have his procedures under more personal nutrition, especially the history of vitamin discoveries. Then fallows a group of chapters on metabolism of water, electrolytes, control. and he mav be as -ereatlv . in need of advice on hittion as carbohydrates, amino acids, protein synthesis, and lipids. The O I I his1ochrmic41 detcrrninnrion*. Simhrlv, n a t l b d r for iwrds are liwiwd to thoit, "\vhirh may he rwluirwl i u n,utinr dihgnos- biochemistry of the fat-soluble vitamins and of the vitamin B tit: hisacherniatry," and plant hisrt,rhvmiitr? is cutiwly :g~~nrcrl complex are each treated in a single chapter. A chapter by T. H. Jukes on vitamins and hematopoiesis disexcept for the historical section. The frequent use of abbreviations far reagents or procedures cusses the complex behavior of folio acid and related compounds, ~
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JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL EDUCATION
392 and of vitamin Bn. The occurrence in saliva of something related to the intrinsic factor is not mentioned. A long chapter by B. B. Lloyd and H. M. Sinclair deals with vitamin C and includes the various theories as well as the proved facts of its funotiming. This concludes Volume I. In Volume I1 there are two chapters by G. H. Bourne on histological aspects of vitamin physiology and a chapter by G. W. Kidder on nutrition of invertebrate animals. Of the twelve chapters in this volume, the one by G. D. Navelli and M. Soodak on coenzymes is particularly uuaeful because it gathers together a wealth of detailed information on a complex subject. There are three chapters on the metabolism of inorganic elements. The h a 1 cbrtpter, by G. A. Goldsmith, summarizes the applications of nutritional discoveries to human nutrition. Disooveriea in the science of nutrition ooour so rapidly that older hooks on the subject tend to be out of date. A new and well planned treatise of this sort is therefore very welcome to all who sre interested in this subject that is fundamental for human welfare.
pounds and Gases, Metals, General Methods for Volatile Solvents, Organic Solvents, Miscellaneous Gases, Vapors, and Mists. There are about one hundred specific tests in addition to much materid on general procedures. The emphasis is on environmental and particularly airborne contamination. Tahle 5 in the Appendix is the Threshold Limit Values as adopted by the American Conference of Industrial Hygienists, though for the year 1952. Tahle 7 is a useful outline, listing for ahout a hundred materials collecting media, sampling apparatus, sampling rate, analytical method, and page reference. The bibliography lists 114 references to the literature which are included in the general subject index for the manual, This is an Interscience Manual, one of four ins. proposed series of laboratory manuals, and is an excellent example of a usefut presentation by competent authors. PFIILIP GILL
OFIICE OR CIVIGD E ~ E N S E A o ~ ~ r w o oC o .* ~ O R N I *
PHILIP H. MITCHELL BROWN
UNIVERBIW
PROVIDENCE, RAODBIBLAND
ANTIBIOTICS
F. A. Robinson. Pitman Publishing Corp., New York, 1953. viii 132 pp. 14 tables. 14 X 22 em. $3.
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MARGINAL PUNCHED CARDS IN COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES Howard F. McGaw. The Scarecrow Press, Washington. 1952. 218 pp. Illustrated. 13.5 X 6 m. $4.50. THISbook describes and illustrates edge-notched punched cards and equipment supplied by each of various manufacturers as well as bssie sorting techniques and a variety of coding methods. About two-thirds of the hook is devoted to detailed description and illustration of library spplications. The circulation, acquisitions, serials, reference, bindery, and other departments are cavered. In an appendix are listed the libraries using edge-notched punched cards. The right-hand margins of the printed pages are not justified. The illustratione are poor. An ineonvenienoe is that footnotes are Listed at the end of each chapter along with literature cite+ tians. A bibliography of 87 references is given a t the end of the book. The author's objectives are: "First, to provide 8. guide book to the librarian just beginning his exploration of the uses of marginal punched cards and, second, to call to the attention of those who have been working with such cards, some of the tecbniques and applications about which they possibly have not heard." These objectives are fulfilled. ROBERT S. CASEY
A QUALIFIED British investigator has here reduced a. lnrgu volume of information on antibiotics to a short, authoritative, and highly readable and interesting text. Following as it does the publication by others of detailed reviews, monographs, and bandbooks devoted to antibiotio substances, Robinson's book p r o sents an abbreviated but satisfying picture of the subject as a. whole and one that should be especially valuable to students of biochemistry and bacteriology. Major emphasis is placed on the chemistry and biochemistry of the heat known antibiotics (penicillin, streptomycin, ehloramphenicol, aureamycin, terramyein). Bxteriologieal applications are restricted largely to summation of mtimierobial spectra, and the discussions include short sections on pharmacology and clinie d applications. Very briof notice is given a180 to additional antibiotics svnthesiaed hv aetinamvoetes and hv bacteria: for
tries and has s. subject index. The book is timely. To a degree it serves to supplement certain information made available in earlier reviews and already antiquated by the current pace of antibiotic research. But more important is its function ac; a survey aid, a means by which the reader can steD aside from the mountine accumulation of teehniml pqprw ro npprnw tlw dc.vrloprnmts t h ~ rh o w Ibrauglnt 11 r nntlhioriv pivlur+ lo 11sprvwnt lrvvl. I r i~ a type of pld:v~liot1 11.31 could wrvu as n . d III nthw r x p w l l i n g f i c Ids. WILLIAM D. ROSENFELD CALIIDRNIIREBEARCA CORPORATION L* E*BR*.C*LIIORNI*
CHEMICAL METHODS IN INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE Frederick H. Goldmon, Bureau of Public Health Engineering, Government of the Di&d of Columbia, and Morris B. Jacobs, Department of Air Pollution Control, City of New Yolk. Inter274 pp. 24 figs. science Publishers, Ino., New York, 1953. x 7 tables. 13 X 18.5 em. $3.75.
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THISis a manual, by recognized authorities, designed to serve the analyst in the field of industrial hygiene in his choice of method. The methods presented are for the ordinary chemical labarstory. Field tests and the use of specialized apparatus are not covered. The scope of the manual is indicated by the general topics covered: Srtmpling, Preparation and Standardization of Reagents, Particle Size Determinations, Free Silica, Inorganic Com-
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TABLES OF INTEGRAL TRANSFORMS. VOLUME I
Edited by A. Erd&lyi, with W. Magnus, F. Oberhettinger, and F. G. Tricomi, Research Associates, staff of the Bateman Manuscript Project, California Institute of Technology. McGraw-Hill Book Co., Inc., New York, 1954. a 391 pp. 16 X 24 om. $7.50.
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THISvolume is the first of two intended as companions and sequels to the authors' "Higher Transcendental Functions," and is hased in part on notes left by the late Harry Bateman. Included are Fourier, Laplace, and Mellin transforms and their inversions.
