book reviews The major failing of this work is its lack of any mention of the role of computers in controlling, evaluating, and storing the clinical data. Although s. thorough treatment is not necessary, it is the reviewer's belief that the technologist should a t least be introduced to the subject in view of the increasing use and importance of computers, pilrticularly in hospital situations. The treat,ment, of the antomated methods utilizing the AntoAnalyser and the Robot Chemist is reasonably complete. Hawever, it is imfortunate that so much of the space is devot,ed to material taken directly from the instmction manuals. Some newer methods of analysis, such as isotopic dilution for blood volume and high pressure liquid chromatography are not mentioned. While t,hcqe omissions do not appear to be serious, they do reduce the usefidne8s of the hook. More serious is the failure to include any mention of the expected precision and accuracy of the tests discussed or the instruments used. This becomes particnlady significant when test results are near the accepted limits of normal values. As an example of this the authors indicate that "great care must he used in doing a blood pH determination, for an error of 0.02 unit can mean an error of about 1.8 mm H g in the Pco. value" (p. 187). Yet no mention is made that most pH meters used in clinical laboratories have a n accuracy of J;O.O.5 pH units or less, and a reproducibility of zt0.02 pH unit3 or less. The text appears to he reawnably free of m y significant m~mberof typographical errors; some of those made ~houldhave been caught before publication, i.e., p. 34 the ordinate of the graph is not labeled. The 30 page list of normal values would be better placed a t the end of the book rather than so soon aft,er the beginning. The quality of the paper and the binding are quite good. The authors should consider changing the title as it does not really denote the contents. The book can serve as a reference handbook for specific clinical methods.
and calculus. A broad base in high school sciences is recommended: biology, physics, and chemistry. Taking two foreign languages is recommended: German, French, or Russian. Strong training is necessary in hoth written and spoken English, along with the social sciences. A scientist must be able to communicate well with fellow citizens who lack technical knowledge. The main key to collegiate 8ueCess will depend on initiative and dedication to hard work. Scholarships are available. It is wise to visit with alumni who majored in chemistry. Helpful suggestions are given on Securing Employment (reference is made to the A.C.S. Employment Clearing House). Any chemistry graduate should expect to learn on the job. Any career plan should include a look into the future to anticipate problems which need to he solved: keeping people fed, housed, and clothed. Engineering in pollution control prohably will have high priority. RAYMOND T. BYRNE Batavia High School Batavia, N . Y. 140S0 Molecular Basis of Odor
John E. Amoore, Western Regional Resezrch Laboratory United States Department of Agriculture, Albany, California. Charles C. Thomas, Puhlisher, Springfield, Illinois, 1970. xiii 200 pp. Figs. and tahles. 25.3 X 17.5 cm. 816.50.
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Of the various theories of the relationship of odor to chemical structure presently being investigated, the stereochemical theory proposed by John E . Amoore in 1952 is considered by many scientists to be the most promising. The information contained in Amoore's 21 papers on odor is presented in this book "in a literary, narrative style," secordiug to the editor, which "can easily be read by anyone with a high school science background.'' To anyone familiar with Amoore's papers, the sole advantage of the book is the convenience of having the information all in one volume, for there are few, if any, E. JONES new ideas or data. Since most of Amoore's DONALD papers have been ~ublishedin symposia. Westen. Ma~ylandCollege volumes or in uncommon journals, this Westminster, Md. $1167 book will make his writings readily accessible for the first time. As such, the book Oppmiunitias in the Chemical will he of interest to many scientists. Sciences Despite the editor's opinion, however, the layman will not be attracted to this book John X. Woodbu~n,Charles W. Woodnor can i t be recommended to him. ward High School, Rockville, Maryland. In one brief chapter Amoore describes Universsl Publishing and Distributing the main queslion of odor research: tho Corporation, New York, 1971. x relationship between odor and chemical 108pp. 20 X 13.5cm. $1.95. structure. The other six chapters present This Vocational Guidance Manual came his stereochemical theory of odor, details of how he derived the theory, data. to out in 1971 and is directed to helping support the theory, and details of young people understand the scope of the techniques used to obtain the data. There field of chemical sciences. Realistic counis only brief mention of other theories of seling is based upon telling accurately the odor. nature of training required, the scope of In the 18 years since Amoore first pubthe work encountered, and whether lished his stereochemical theory of odor, chemistry offers the kinds of satisfactions his work on odor seems to have involved which can really he enjoyed. Reference mainly refinements in measuring the is made to the ACS booklet on "Chemistry shapes of molecules. The only major and Your Career." This emohasizes. change in the theory itself is that instead of the originally ~roposedseven primary
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odors, he now speaks of 20-30. His last and most interesting chapter (Breaking the Olfactory Code) is a proposal for research to identify these primary odors. To date, only one primary odor, the sweaty odor of isoveleric acid and its congeners, has been identified; its identification by Amoore is described in the book. The "literary style" leaves much to be desired. Scientists would probably prefer t u r ~ a da die< liwz of .\m~mr3:ptpw-i. L~iyntrt.will wr,ir.ly find thv Iwok r w o v : ~ lrrndin~. h O n e of detniled for r ~.t i " the chief criticisms, in fact, is the excessive detsil. What detracts from the presentation is not the careful detail characteristic of scientific publications but rather excessive details of methodology which are almost always out of place, in conventional scientific papers as well as in scientific writing for the non-scientist. Chapter 4 provides a good example of such extravagant detail, as Amoore describes each of the methods he has used to obtain qusntitative data on molecular shapes. The other main criticism concerns the attempt, unsuccessful in the opinion of this reviewer, to write a hook encompassing the reading interests of non-scientists as well as scientists. Such coverage is difficult to achieve and possibly undesirable. I t is not likely that the lay reader will be interested in details of one theory of odor to the exclusion of a consideration of alternative theories. Hence, Amoore's book is by its nature limited to scientists. A few years ago, R. H. Wright, proponent of the vibration theory of odor, published s. book on odor also written for hoth scientists and laymen (It. H. Wright, "The Science of Smell," Basic Books, Inc., New York, 1964). Wright's hook makes considerably more interesting reading than does Amoore's and presents mare general information on odor including the various theories. ~
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WILLIAMR. R o o l r n l c ~ Abbott Labovatories North Chicago, Illinois Elementary Quantitative Chemistry: A Laboratory Text and Manual
Robert I. Gelb, University of Massachusetts, Boston. Harper & Raw, Publishers, New York, 1971. viii 301 pp. Figs. and tables. 23.5 X 17.5 cm. $6.95.
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The author states in his preface that this text is "the result of a n effort.. .to integrate general and analytical chemistry." One searches in vain thereafter to find any sign of integration. I t can only he called watered down quantitative analysis text!' The unfortunate result is predictable: the unique contribution that analytical chemistry could make to chemical education is hsdlv orostituted. What little thrre k in the wxy nf the irnp
