BOOK
REVIEWS
Elements of General and Biological Chemistry: An Introduction to the Molecular Basis of Life
John R. Holum, Augsburg College, Minneapolis, Minnesota. John Wile? and Sons, Inc., New York, 19G". ix 470 pp. Figs. and tables. Ih..? X 23.5 cm. $5.95.
+
Experiments In General, Organic, a n d A Lmboratory Biological Chemistry: Manuml
John R. Holum. John Wiley and Sons, 119 pp. Inc., New York, 1963. viii Figures. 22 X 28 em. Paperbound. $2.95.
+
This hook is presented for use in 8, onesemester or two-quarter course, with students who may have received no previous chemical training. The subject material in general chemistry is restricted t o the absolute minimum the author considers necessary to gain an understanding of complex organic chemical structures and the sophisticated terminology of biochemical processes, which must be martered before the theme of the hook, the chemistry of the life processes a t the molecular level, can he followed intelligently. General inorganic and physical ohemistry is ruthlessly pruned to the first seven short chapters; the following six chapters deal with the organic chemistry of simple molecules. The subjects
-Reviewed
discussed, and the examples presented, are all designed to stress those aspects uf chemistry which are involved in the life process in general, with particular emphasis on human metabolism. The remaining eleven chapters, almost half of the book, are devoted to the molecular hasis of life. Chapters on the structure of proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids are followed by discussions of their metabolism, with interrelatmns s t the detailed molecular level through the major metabolic cycles. Other chapters deal with enzyme action, the chemistry of heredity, physiological fluid balance, and aspects of radiation and radioactivity related to human physiology. The book is addressed to a wide audience, but i t is clear that the subject material is presented with the specialist requirements of the future nurse as a principal objective, with d e tailed consideration of, for example, determination of D-glucose and acetone in pathological urine, and malfunctions in heme metabolism in relation to jaundice. Several of the experiments in the accompanying laboratory manual are relevan to the needs of the future nurse. Modern biochemical concepts are stressed, with consideration of the mechanism of eneyme action, eneyme inhibition, and chemotherapy. Food metabolism is discussed in detail, and the interrelationships of the intermediates in the glycolytic, lipigenetic, fatty acid, citric acid, and other metabolic cycles are well presented
in this Issue
John R. Holum, Elements of General and Biological Chemistry: Gewge E. Rysehkewisch, Chemical Bonding and the Geometry of Mulecules J . D. Fmt, Entropy: The Significance of the Concept of Entropy and I t s Applications in Science and Technology Richard B. Hahn and Frank J . Welcher, Inorgmio Qualitative Analysis: S. Walker and H . Straw, Spectroscopy. Vol. 1, Atomic, Microwave, and RadioFrequency. Vol. 2, Ultra-Violet, Visible, Infra-Red, and Raman Virgil Boekelheide, editor-in-chief, Organic Syntheses. Volume 42 G m f t a D. Chase and J . L. Rahinowifa, Principles of Radioisotope Methodolo~v I,. M . Michejeva and N . B. dfichejev, Radidioaktive Isotope in der Analytischen Chemie E . H. Rodd, editor, Chemistry of Carbon Compounds. Volume 5 R. A . Raphael, E. C. Taylvr, and H. Wynberg, editors, Advances in Organic Chemistry: Volume 3 Klaus Biemann, Mass Spectrometry: Organic Chemical Applications Kaj Linderstrdm-Lang, Selected Papers M . F~ancon,Progress in Microscopy. Volume 9 Melville L. Wolfrom and R. Stuart Tipson, editors, Advances in Carbohydrate Chemistry. Volume 17 M . Shcey, J . C . Tatlow, m d A . G. Sharpe, editors, Advances in Fluorine Chemistry.
.
-
V"lllrn* -. ..... .?.
C . B. Anfimen, Jr., editor, Advances in Protein Chemistry. Volume 17 The Harvey Lectures. Series 57 Klaus H. Behmdt, editor, Vacuum Microhalance Techniques. Volume 3 G. H. Bou~ne and J . F. Danielli, editors, International Review of Cytology. Volume 14 Harris Busch, editor, Biochemical Frontiers in Medicine. Francis A . Gunffiw,editor, Residue Reviews. Volume 2
so as to emphasize the unified nature of the metabolic processes a t the molecular level. The chemistry of heredity is discussed on the basis of the WatsonCrick structure for DKA, with its implicstions on the structure of RNA and on protein synthesis. Rather frequent. errors and ambiguities, particularly in the general chemistry section, detract from the value of the hook. On p. 110 it is implied that one of the bonds in the hydronium ion differs from the other two; the dilrerence between a strong acid (sulfuric acid) and a weak one (boric acid) is illustrated by the fact that the former is corrosive while the latter can be used in eye-wash preparations. On p. 198 it is stated that Cu(OH)*is a mild reducing agent, and on page 199 hemiaeetals are said to he rather exotic and obscure functional groups. The farmulas used for sugar molecules on pages 252, 253, and elsewhere are not definitive for the structures described, and on page 260 hydrogen bonds are depicted between pairs of oxygen atoms, and between pairs of hydrogen atoms. The physico-chemical relationship between molecular weight of a salute and the osmotio pressure of s solution is not explained. The non-technical reader, to whom the language of biological chemistry presents a formidable barrier, will find this hook an excellent stepping stone to an understanding of modern developments. To provide a biochemical orientation for a general elementary course, the book could advantagevusly he used after a. more detailed course in fundamentals. The book itself provides for the requirements of s brief cmrse for nurses.
DEREKHORTON The Ohio State Uniwrsitu Colmdws, Ohio Chemical Bonding a n d the Geometry of Molecules
Geor~eE. Ryschkewitseh, University of Florida, Gainesville. Reinhold Publishing Corp., New Yark, 1963. 116 pp. Figs. and tables. 12.5 X 18.5 cm. $1.75. In the fourth volume in the paperback series, Selected Topics in Modern Chemistry, George E. Ryschkewitseh goes exploring in the world of atoms, molecules, ions, and crystals. Although chemistry must remain empirical if it is to remain a science, it is certainly true that i t has moved steadily forward from crude empiricism toward the deductive character of a. mature discipline. This has happened because of the success which chemists have had in correlating the properties of substances with the structures of their constituent entities. As Sisler and VanderWerf say in their Series Editors' preface, this is "the hesrt of modern chemistry." A teacher and apraductivs experimental chemist, Ryschkewitseh has written a book which exposes the reader t o the spirit of modern chemical rreearch. The inquisitive student cmnot he required t o wait until he has acquired mathematical sophistication before considering mode& structural concepts. Thus, in a new and challenging sense, texthook authors nowadays are writing for the Volume 40, Number 8, August 1963
/
441
