BOOK REVIEWS mended. For students in high school or general chemistry, the hook will require too much effort for the value received, hut it may well be recommended ior advanced students. On the whole, J. J. Lagowski's "The Structure of Atoms" [J. CHEM. Eouc., 42, 178 (1965)l is much to be preferred for an introdurtory treatment, for teacher and student dike, whereas this is the next step up. IRWIN CDHEN Young~tomUniversity Youngsloum, Ohio
Response of the Nervous System to Ionizing Radiation
Edited by Thomas J. Halev, University of California, Los Angeles, and Ray S. Snider, University of Rorhester, Rochester, New York. Little, Brown, and Co., Boston, 1964. xs 749 pp. Figs. and tables. 16 X 24.5 rm. $18.50.
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The study of the effects of radiation on the nervous system has been a comparatively recent development in the field of radiohiology, since the brain and other nerves were ronsidered tn be the most radioresistant organs. I n general, this is still found to he the case, although several workers have reported changes in behavioral responses to as little as 10 roentgen of gamma radiation. These are only two of the subjects touched an in this really exceptional volume. The material covered in this book includes the papers and a t least the formal discussion which took place a t the Second International S.ymposium held st the University of California a t Los Angeles in 1963. This conference brought together pathologists, radiologists, radiobiologists, neurologists, neurophysiologist,~, biochemists, and psychologists, in the hope that the exchange of ideas between surh diverse disciplines would result in (1) a moss fertilization of ideas and ( 2 ) n clearer picture of the overall function of the various segments of the nervous 5.~8tem, as well as t,he m e r h a r h n s of action of ionizing radiation on all levels of lissoe organization. I t can certainly he said that the oonference seemed to meet its first objertive and hopefully the second, if the volrmo a t hand is any indication. I t is a. report, which has real dimensiorr-both horizontally and vert,iertlly. The book contains 40 papers by over 100 contributors and is divided into five
~ y s t e h ; 2. Radiation-induced Ch:tnges in the Peripheral Nervous System : r l d Spinal Cord; 3. EKects of Radiation on Brain Biochemistry; 4. Rsdintiowioduted Functional Changes in the Central Nervous System; and 5. EReets of Radiation on Behavior. These hesdinga clearly indicate the multidisciplinary approach but,, also, indirate a somewhat stronger biologird emphasis than hiochemie,zl. The papers rely rnlher heavily nn histo-
BOOK REVIEWS logical and physiologicnl approaches, with relatively little discussion of the chemistry involved, except for several papers relating to brain lipids. This emphasis may indicate a relatively lower level of usefulness lor the chemist, unless he is pilrtirularly interested in the interaction of radiation on livitrg syst,ems. If he is involved in t,he radiobiology area, access to this report is imperative, since muoh of the current work in radiobiology is being done a t the molecular and cellulm level. There was general agreement, on the part of the eonferees that the field was complex, but this book represents a serious effort to hegin meet,inp t,he challenge of learning the effects of radiation on the behaving or~snism. I t is probable that the book will find its usefulness more a t t,hegraduate level than a t the undergraduate, at least in the field of chemistry.
RALPHT. OVERMAN Ralph T. Ove~manConsulting Services Oak Ridge, Tennessee
Structure and Function in Biological Membranes. Volume 1
J. Lee Kavanau, University of California, Las Angeles. Holden-Day, Inc., San Franci~co,1965. xiv 321 pp. Figs. and tables. 18 X 25.5 cm. $10.95.
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This book is a monograplr, in t,wo volnmes, purporting to deal with the properties of biologics1 membranes. I t will doubtless be useful to research workers and specialists, but it is distinct,ly not a text book and, despite the flyleaf assertion that "it will he useful as a. t,ext in courses in colloid and surface chemistry" the reviewer has some doubt about this assertion. I t is very likely an injastice to the author to yeview only Volume I of his work, for this contains relatively little that deals with actual biolagir~l membranes: it is essentially a review of (1) micellar solutions, (2) monomolecular films, (3) surface (and, to a limited extent, bulk) properties of probeins, (4) the properties of ice and wat,er. Dr. Krwanau has clearly combed the literatnre very thoroughly in these areas, and this is evident in the multiplicity of references cited in the body of the text and the many excellent ilhlstrations-eqperiauy those of molecular models. As review material it does extend the coverage of a nnmber of now slightly outdated works dealing with the topics listed above, and the reader has no doubt that in Volume 2 the author will utilize some of the material collected here. Unfortunately, the writing is terse, frequently summarising investigators' findings even more briefly than chemical abstracts, so that the undergradnat,e student would be forced to read Lhe original literature very heavily in order to form much of a view of t,he material presented. The author cites much thermodynamic information about the systems under discussion, and he refers to the more recent Volume 42, Number 9, September 1965
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