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t h e discussion of errors and iiinitations of the method is In addition t o the variety of syntheses, Volunie 38 somewhat inadequate. also contains t h e cumulative index of material from Volumes T h e treatment of normal coordinates in the sectioti on 30-38, thereby increasing its usefulness to the practicing spectroscopy seems unnecessarily brief; for example, there organic chemist. are a number of points in t h e discussion of the structure of DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY monodeuterioacetylene which will probably be unclear to T 7 ~Y OF~ SORTH ~ CAROLISA ~ ~ ~ RICHARD ~ 1 G. HISKEY the general reader because of this deficiency. CHAPEL HILL,NORTHCAROLINA I n view of t h e author’s professed desire t o give a clear idea of the limitations of the various methods, this reviewer feels t h a t t h e discussion of experimental error for some of the methods is far from adequate. Xlso there are sur- Curare and CuIare-like Agents. Edited by D. BOVET, F . BOVET-XITTIand G. B. MARISI-BETTOLO, Instituto prisingly many quotations of molecular parameters without Superiore di Sanita, Romn. D. Van Xostrand Co., Inc., any indication of the associated estimates of error. 120 Alexander St., Princeton, New Jersey. 1959. s i If the reader is aware t h a t the brevity of the discussions 4T8 pp. 17 X 24.5 cm. Price, iSl5.75. results in certain inadequacies of presentation, and if he makes full use of t h e references a t the end of each chapter This beautifully printed and richly illustrated volume is for further details of a technique in which he may be particcomprised of the papers delivered at the International ularly interested, tlie objections which a specialist has t o Symposium on Curare and Curare-like Agents in Rio de parts of the book may be regarded a3 minor. Janiero, -4ugust 5-12, 1957. It is dix4ded into five sections The book should prove t o be most useful as a suppledealing n i t h the ethnographic problems, the botanical aspects, mentary text in an undergraduate physical chemistry chemistry, pharmacology and clinical application of curare course and may also be recommended t o any chemist who and related compounds. The standard of most of the comwishes t o have a somewhat better understanding of what is munications is high and their total represents a n u p to date behind the occasional interatomic distance n-hich he quotes. picture of the rapidly changing concepts of tlie chemistry, physiology and pharmacology of neuromuscular blocking CHEMISTRY DEPARTMENT agents. T h e editors did a splendid job of welding into a BROOKHAVEX NATIOSAL 1,ABORATORI’ ~ V A L T E RC. H A M I L T O Xuniform structure the various communications presented in Engliyh or French. This book will serve as a valuable source UPTON,LOSC ISLASD,SEW 1 - 0 ~ ~ of reference for those engaged in research in the field of neuromuscular blocking agents, It should be especially Radioactivity Measuring Instruments. A Guide to their useful for t h e chemist interested in t h e isolation of natural alkaloids and t h e synthesis of compounds active a t the neuroConstruction and Use. By M. C. NOKES. Philosophical Library, Inc., 1 5 East 40th Street, L-ew York 16, N. ’i. muscular junction. 1958. viii 75 pp. 34.5 X 22 ctu. Price, 84.75. MERCY HOSPITAL According t o the author “this book is an attempt to FRAXCIS F. FOLDES PITTSBCRGH 19, PESTA. show how instruments of fair accuracy can be made v i t h tlie minimum of expense and without the consumption of too much time.” Chief emphasis is on radioactivity measuring instruments employing halogen filled G-M tubes which can be used t o illustrate elementary experiments in radioactirity. The book is addreswd to science students and their teachers. I n 5 pages of the first chapter thc author explains the properties of t h e various radiations, BOOKS RECEIVED defines the units of source strength and dose, and discusses the health hazards of handling radioactive substances. September 10, 1959-October 10, 1959 Chapters 2 and 3 discuis the operation of GI1 tubes :tnd tlie statistics of counting random events. €1. EYRISG,Editor, C. J. CHRISTEXSEN, Associate Editor, T h e remaining 6 chapters are devoted to descriptions of OHNSTON, lssociate Editor. “.4m1ual Revicirs trigger circuits, p o w r supplies, vcalers and ratcmctcrq. Cheniistr!-.” 1-olurne 10. A u n u d Reviews, Components a:id prices are liGtct1, b u t this informatioil .\venue, Pa1o .Uta, California. 19.59. .jT 1311. v-ill be of little use t o most U . S. reliclers Ixcause tlie com! j i , O O fY,S,.L): $ 7 . 3 ) !elsewhere). ponents are almost entirely of European manufacture. The book is useful as a guide t o “do-it-yourself” science EDXTXS.G o ~ r . n “11echnnisrn and Structure in Organic Cheinis try. ” Hcnr y H 01t and Coin pan J-, :?Y3 S,Iadi si111 teachers v h o have a limited budget for radioactivity Avenue, S e w York 17, S. 1‘. 1959. 790 pp. $12.~5’). demonstration equipment. , G. \.ERVER, Edited hy. “ C h s INSTRUYESTATION ASD COVROLSDIVISIOS ond Edition. Reinhold P u h l i 4 OAK RIDGEKATIOSALL A R ~ R A T O R S C. J . RORKOTVSKI rk Avenue, S e w York 22, S .Y , OAK RIDGE,TENXESSEE
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JOHXSOS,E d i t d 1 ) ~ . Organic Syntheses. Volume 38. Jorrs C. SHEEIIAS, ” I7olume 6. “Sditl Editor-in-chief. John IYiley and Sons, Inc., 440 Fourth -ation, Structure, Avenue, L‘ew York 16, 5 . Y. 1958. vii 120 pp. .Academic Pi-css, I ~ I c . ~ 15 x 23.5 cm. Price, $4.00. 11 1 Fifth .\venue, Sen- I‘ork 3, S. 1’. 1 T h e current volume of this I\-orthwhile series coutinues % 11.go. the high standards previously mairitained. The thirty-one I-. 1959. 816 pp. Dhl. 88.--. aniline is reported. X procedure involving the u i e of J. ~ 1 .POPLE,IY.G. SCHSEIDER,ASD H. J . I ~ E R N S ~ C I ~ . commercially available peracetic acid for epoxidation of “High-Resolution Suclear Magnetic Reson:incc.” XICcarbon double bonds is also a useful addition t o this volume. Graw-Hill Rook Company, Inc., 330 West 42nd Street, Several interesting heterocyclic syntheses are deycribed, S e w Tl’ork 36, N. Y . 1959. hill pp. $13.3. including t h e preparation of 2-amino-l-aniiino-B-(chloro“Solid methyl)-s-triazine and ’7-vinylthiophene. .4mong the z AXII I>AT’II>T C T R S ~ ~ Ikiitors. -T.I,, cnmpounds wliich offrr promise :is intermediates in otiicr .\~iv:incrc in Rescnrrli and . \ ~ ) ~ ) I i t ~ ~ i t i ( ~ i ~ q . ” ,\)-ntlirscq iirc tlictliyl Inetli\lct~eni;llollate, p-ineth~lglut:rric \ i i l i i r n r 9. .\cxdelnic Press, Inc., 11 1 V i f t l i . \ v c i i ~ i v , Ncw aulqdridc, n~oiiovit~~l:~ect)-lcne aiid 1,4-pciitadicue. Vork 3. N.Y. 1‘J.N. ,XSpi). 814,Aj.
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