652
JOURNAL O F CHEMICAL EDUCATION
RADIOISOTOPES IN BIOLOGY AND AGRICULTURE
C. L. Comor, Oak Ridge Institute of Nuclear Studies, formerly Laboratory Director and Research Cwrdinator, University of Tennessee-Atomic Energy Commission Agricultural Research Program. MoGrawHill Book Co., Inc., New York, 1955. xiii 481 pp. 91 figs. 97 tables. 16 X 23.5 cm. 59.
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THE keynote adjectives whioh should be applied to Dr. Camar's book are com~ l e t e , systematic, and thorough. So systematic is Dr. Comar in his present* tion that the student in a field other than the life sciences will 6nd much of value and help in this book. Dr. Comm's avowed purpose in writing, this book is "to bring home to the student and investigator an appreciation and understanding of how radioisotopes can fit into his program and then to show how the experimental work can be undertaken." This reviewer would go a step farther by adding the following corollary: While it may not have been a primary purpose of the book, certainly a considerable part of the value of the book is to be found by the chemist and physicist who may be somewhat familiar with radioisotopes and radiochemical techniques but require further insight into the problems faced by the biologist and the techniques at his disposal. In this day and age it is becoming increasingly difficult to draw a fine line of distinction between what is called chemistry, biology, or physics. As more and more complicated problems are tackled, like cancer, heart disease, mental illness. etc., the individual scientist finds to an ever increasing extent that he can no longer confine himself to the branch of science in whioh he majored in college. Whether he is working alone or as a member of a research team, he finds that he must not only "speak the language" of his colleague, but he must also understand the problems, the potentialities, and the limitations of the branch of science of
cise hut complete explanations have been added. Throughout the book are copious bibliographies an a variety of subjects. The extent of the bibliographies assures the reader of the accuracy of the text, for it is obvious that each detail has been checked with painstaking care. Moreover, confusion has been dispelled with authority, as witness Dr. Comar's discussion on page 88 of the various definitions and conversion factors encountered when one is talking of the radiation dose received by tissue. It seems customary for reviewers to point out a t least one or two faults in any hook, however good it may otherwise be. In this case this is almost impossible. The only point which this reviewer could find to debate is s, trivial one on page 120 regarding the decontamination properties of bench tops. Of special interest to this particular reviewer is Chapter 6, a long, detailed, and highly useful chapter on Properties and Procedures for Individual Radioisotopes. Here, in 122 pages, the author metbodioctlly discussesradioisotopes of some 55 different chemical elements; data are tabulated in a systematic form which makes ready reference later s. pleasure. This reviewer would like to remonstrate gently with the author for not including such newly available radioisotopes as fluorine-18 and iodine-132, but such expostulation is not to be taken very seriously, inasmuch as the hook, as it stands, represents not only an excellent text but a eompilstion of considerable proportions. To sum up, this hook is highly recommended to all biologists and to those chemists and physicists whose work does or may border on biology.
Arthur and Elizabeth Rose, State College, Pennsylvania. Fifth edition. Reinhold Pvblishing Corp., New York. 1200 pp. 16 X 23 cm. 1956. xix $12.50. HEREis the first place to look for practical chemical information. A singlevolume work which can give short encyclopedic treatment to "einstinium," "elutriation!' and "Elvaeet" on the same Daee is one which belongs on or near the desrk of every chemist. Over 30,000 up-to-date entries are included on the 1,200 easy-toread pages. Thousands of trade and brend names are identified; those materials considered haaardous to transport are indicated.
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KNIFE-EDGE BEARINGS
P. I. Geary, England. British Scientific Instrument Research Association. South Hill, Chislehurst, Kent, England, 1955. 61 pp. 19 figs. 15.5 X 24 cm. viii Paper bound. 51.50.
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THISis the second in the series of bibliagrephical surveys on instrument parts published by the British Scientific Instrument Research Association. The information is empirical hut critically assembled and correlated. Line drawings are good. This is a definitive work on a "narrow" topic. W. F. K. THE CHEMISTRY AND REACTIVITY OF COLLAGEN K. H. Gustavson, Garveriniiringens Forslmingsinstitut, Stockholm. Academic Press, Inc., New York. 1956. ix X 342 pp. 46 figs. 3 7 tables. 16 X 23.5 em.
58. THE CHEMISTRY AND TECHNOLOGY OF WAXES
the gap between the sciences. Admittedly, however, the book is written primarily for the biologist and written n.ith such affectionate care and understanding that the biologist cannot fail to benefit considerably. In his prefsee, Dr. Comar states, "Chapter I presents certzin basic principles unobscured by consideration of nuclear physics and experimental details. These principles are illustrated by examples drawn from auch diverse fields as physiology, nutrition, entomology, and soils and fertilizers." This is indeed true, and it illustrates the literary and pedagogical techniques rvbich serve to enhance the value of the book. The book is profusely illustrated with clear legible drawings and photographs from which unnecessary and distracting detail has been omitted but to which con-
THE CONDFNSED CHEMICAL DICTIONARY
Albin H. Worth, Wax Research Consultant, The Crown Cork and Seal Co., Baltimore, Maryland. Second edition. Reinhold Publishing Corp., New York, 940 pp. 3 9 figs. 9 3 1956. vii tables. 16 X 23.5 cm. 518.
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THISdefinitive reference work has been enlarged greatly over its 1947 f i s t edition. 25, 239 (1948).) The (See THIS JOURNAL increase in size reflects both the incnased developments in wax technology and the author's success in keeping his coverage up-to-date. Though written for those whose work is with waxes, the widespread application of these compounds usually neglected by the organic chemistry courses makes this a necessary book for every college library. W. F. K.
THIS monograph consisting of 13 c h a p ters "gives an outline of the chemistry of collagen, its structural organization and behavior, particularly in reversible squeous systems, in the light of the modern eoncepts of proteins and protein reactions. The nature of the stabilizing forces in collagen and their alteration on various pretreatments of collagen, including the hydrothermal shrinkage, are comprehensively disoussed, ss are problems of importance in biochemistry, medicine, and tecbnology." Special attention is given tore-
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developed around the problems which Gustrwson considers to he the outstanding and actual ones a t present, the various aspects of collagen are more widely and extensively covered in this text than in any other book on this important elms of proteins. "The available books on collagen are limited in scope, principally treating the physics of collagen, its structure
