BOOK REVIEWS viously unexplained phenomena. of organic and inorganic chemistry. There is now an abundance of evidence fihowing that a hydrogen atom e m bridge between two eleetronegativc atoms, such as those of nitrogen, oxygen, or fluorine. These bridges are urnally unsymmetrical, the hydrogen atom being more tightly h d d hy one of the two electronegative atoms than by the other, even when hoth of these atoms are of the same kind, e.g., oxygen. Hydrogen bonds m e strong enough to he of great importance in determming the structures-the relative arrangements in space of the component a t o m s o f the substsnees in which they exist. On the other hand, they are weak enough to be relatively easily broken or exchanged. For this reason they play a great role in many chemical reactions and physical rhsnges. They are especially important in affecting the structures and behaviors of biological systems in plants and animals. with the existence, properties, and behavior of hydrogen bonds and have compiled and summarized the results of tbeir study in the book under review. Many aspects of the subject are covered, in a systematic way. The language is clear and anyone with a reasonable bsckground of knowledge in inorganic, organic, and physiesl chemistry should have no difficulty in following and understanding the argument. The authors are moderately critical in their presentation and evaluation of other people's work-although sometimes not critical enough, in the reviewer's opinion. He also disagrees with a few of the historical statements. On the whole, he ie glad to recommend the book for reference and for detailed study by anyone wanting a moderately complete account of the present knowledge of this important suhject.
MAURICE L. H U Q Q I N ~ Slanjord Research Institute Menlo Pa&, California Biochamirtry in Relation to Medicine
C . W . Carter, Queen's College, Oxford; R . V. Cozon, Exeter College, Oxford; D. S . Parsons, Merton College, Oxford; and R. H. S. Thompson, Guy's Hospital Medical School, University of London. 3rd ed. Longmans, Green & Co., Inc., New York, 1959. xiii 628 pp. Figs. and tables. 15 X 22 em.
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$10.
This text follows the order of presentation t h a t many authors choose in introducing medical students to bioehemistry. That is, the early chapters are devoted to physical chemistry, the chemistry of esrbohydrates, lipids, and proteins. This is followed by a discussion of enzymes, biological oxidations, nutrition, and vitamins. After these preparatory chapters, the larger part of the book
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Journal o f Chemicol Educafion
BOOK REVIEWS is devoted to digestion, metabolism, and the endocrines. There are chapters on the chemistry of the hemoglobins, bile, body electrolytes, and kidney function. I t is interesting to compare a hiochemistry text written for the use of English medical students with its contemporary counterpart in this country. The rapid expansion of biochemistry has made it difficult to present all of the fundamental information into one volume for the heginning student. American authors, in an effort t o meet this problem, have excluded much material which may belong in the province of physiology. In England, biochemistry has always been regarded as a branch of physiology and their biochemistry textbooks reflect this viewmint. This charecteristie is noticeable
in our modern biochemistry textbooks. However, i t is not to be implied that this hook sacrifices the essential basic prineiples of biochemistry. In this revien,er's opinion, much is gained by frequent references to t,he normal and abnormal physiology resulting from the biochemical topics under discussion. In general, this volume offers a well balanced presentation of biochemistry. The working biochemist may wish t h a t the mechanisms of some reactions were given in greater detail, euch as those involved in oratein and nucleomotein svnimmediate needs. Extensive references to the literature make i t possible for a student to extend his reading beyond the pages of this textbook. A bibliography of over 50 pages is included a t the end of the book.
F. A. CAJORI
University of Colmado School of Medicine Denver
Elements of General Chemistry
Jay A. Young, King's College, WilkesBane, Pennsylvania. Prentiee-Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 1060. viii f 466 pp. Figs. and table.. 16 X 23.5 om. $6.95. For the elementary one semester course in introductory chemistry that presumes no previous training in chemistry and only a minimum of mathematical haekground, instructors may find here a new text that warrants considemtion. The text is constructed in 21 chapters interspersed with two short sections on the mathematics of problem solving by factors and simple operations with small and large numbers. A glossary of almost 125 chemical terms and the answers to problems for each chapter are given in the appendix. The end papers show the traditional list of atomic weights and the periodic table. Unique features of this text include several instruotive figures which supple-
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