The foregoing is not intended as adverse criticism of a really excellent text. The reviewer has always considered MacDongall's "Physical Chemistry" one of the best works in the field. It is logical, teachable, written with meticulous care, and is comprehensive enough for any first-class course. Since this "revised" edition has the same virtues and weaknesses as its predecessor, it can be recommended as heartily as before. MALCOLM M. HARING UNIV~SIIY OF MAX-ND
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chapter the techniques of straight seals, sidearms, reduction of bore, test tube ends, and bending. I n the remaining three chapters he describes the use of the splicing torch; the blowing of bulbs; the flaring of ends; the production of inner seals, metal to glass seals, and ground joints; the construction of condensers, thermometer wells, diaphragm manometers, vacuum jackets, closed circuits and the Langmuir pump and the McLwd gage. and, finally, the assembly and testing of complex vacuum apparatus. The author's style is easy and direct and the printing excellent-large, clear type on heavy paper. Eight of the 11 plates are made from actual nhotoera~hs of the author's own handi. work. I n some cases these illustrations will prove more helpful and in others less helpftd than line drawings-particularly to the beginner. The "Manual" can hardly he called a self-instructor. In general, the directions are too abbreviated for an untutored beginner, although rich in suggestions for the more advanced student. Unfortunately, the author has minimized the importance of maintaining complete control over wall-thickness while increasing or decreasing the diameter of tubing by blowing and drawing. respectively. Naive admissions of the resulting difficulties are found in several parts of the book. For example, on page 32: "When the larger tube is very large, 25 mm. or more, it will be found that while the tube can be drawn down in the way described t o a certain extent, after a certain stage the collapsed part becomes paper thin." Again, on page 51: "Once blown out to the stage shown a t F, it is practically impossible to reheat and reblow the bulb without distorting i t hopelessly." This reviewer has found that a most useful student exercise is to shrink and reblow bulbs repeatedly, varying the shape and size each time. I n his directions for making inner seals, the author avoids the plebeian use of inner supports and consistently recommends lining up by gravity. This is a most difficult operation for the beeinner. in contrast with the easv. effective..and renerallv betterlooking leal%which result when all members have bee; previously aligned. Detailed directions are given for the construction of a McLeod gage and for the assembly and testing of a complex vacuum system--even to the extent of identifying the spectrum of the intruding gas. I n the opinion of this reviewer, Professor Wright's "Manual" should he in every experimental laboratory. Ross A. BAKER COLUIOB OR TRB C m OF ~ s ~wo a a
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TEXTBOOKOF BrocHearIwnu. Benjamin Harrow, Professor of Chemistry, City College, College of the City of New York. Third Edition. W. B. Sannders Company, Philadelphia, 1943. ix f 537 pp. 118 figs. 15 X 2.3 cm. $4.00. This is a new edition of a book which was first published in 1938 and has been revised a t frequent intervals in order t o keep pace with the rapid advances in biochemistry. The general eharacter and purposes of the book have been retained in the new edition which has been exuanded in manv of its sections. Sixteen more tablcr and 30 additional fimrrs have been incurpurntrd in the new edition in order to increase the practical urrfulncss of the book. A new chapter has hcrn a d d 4 dealing with irntnunochemistry and chemotherapy. The third edition represents a marked improvement over the previous editions of this textbook, and takes its place near the top of the list of textbooks available for the teaching of general biochemistry. The book is presented with the object of covering the usual reauirements of courses in biochemistrv offered t o medical, dental, amicultural, and general collegr studrntz, and one feels tke rrnpha\i* of a chemicnl viewpoint. The ad\.isability of an author's attempting t o satisfy a nerd for a tertl,ook of hiochemistry for all types of students may be open t o question. As biochemistry becomes ever broader in scope, encompassing so many aspects of biology and medicine, it might be more desirable, and satisfactory, t o present biachemistry from the viewpoint of the field t o which it is t o he applied, rather than t o attempt t o meet the diverse requirements of several specialties. While this edition of Harrow might be adequate for dental, agricultural, and general college students, it must be supported by supplemental reading in the physiological and medical applications of biochemistry in order t o fulfill satisfactorily the role of an adequate textbook of biochemistry for medical students. However, each new edition of Harrow which has appeared gives indications that ihe author is continually approaching the production of a textbook which would become widely adapted for medical school teaching. ABRAHAM WHITE YALS UNIVXXSITY NBWHAVEN,CONNBET~COT MANUALOF LABORATORY GLASS-BLOWING. R. H. Wrqkl, Associate Professor of Chemistry, University of New Brunswick. Chemical Publishing Company. Inc.. Brooklyn, N. Y., 1943. ix 90 pp. 11 plates. 22 X 14 cm. $2.50. The appearance of this new "Manual" is very welcome--the more so because the author has limited himself t o those operations which lie within his own direct experience. When so many nniversities are conducting courses in glass blowing and so many helpful techniques are being devised, it is to be hoped that others may be stimulated t o pool their experiences also. I n one of his introductory paragraphs, the author modestly acknowledges "his indebtedness t o all those who have, a t various times and places, shown him most of the tricks which go t o make up this book." But it is soon obvious t o the reader that be is in the presence of a glass blower of no mean ability, who has a vivid imagination and olentv of conrare. After devoting three chapters t o the properties of the common vorielics of glas, the types of burners and flames, and the usual tools of the glaw blower, the author compresses into one shon
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DICTIONARYOF BIO-CHEMISTRYAND RELATEDSUBJBCTS. Editor-in-Chief. William Marias Maliroff, Professor of Biochemistry a t the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn. Philosophical Library, New York. 1943. 579 pp. 15 X 22.5 cm. $7.50. Some of the terms in this dictionary are defined in simple glossary form; others are discussed more thoroughly. The book includes words in vague ten years ago as well as those in use today.
THEWAR ON CANCER. Edword Podolrky, M.D., Staff Member, Fifth Avenue and Flower Hospitals, New York City, and Facultv Member. New York Medical Collexe. Reinhold Publishing~orporation,New York, 1943. 175 pp. 2 figs. 12.5 X 18.5 cm. $1.75. The author of "The War on Cancer" succeeds in rednciur a medical problem to the layman's lcvel of understanding. Only once, in giving details of Coke's disparian index test, does he forget his readers. The book tells the story of cancer from 4UC B.C. t o the present day, stressing symptoms, causation theories. modem treatment, and research.
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