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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