While considerable knowledge of organic chemistry is necessary for a full aonreciation of each taoic., smaller sections are accessible .. and mieht well orwide usahle rxamnlea For illnstration of classroom
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he a helpful reference for a student who wants to understand the stages of a home-made jelly recipe; equally, the section on doughs and leavening would be relevant for someone who wants information on the chemistry of breads and baking; and a discussion of "ripening" helps Lo illuminate meat handling practices and restaurant advertising for "aged" steak. Laboratory procedures are briefly mentioned frequently, but they are insufficiently detailed for direct application to a high school laboratory. I t is refreshing to read a book dealing with food and chemicals and yet not encounter the word "natural." In one sense, this is a needed antidote t o those who disparage so much of the food industry and its products. On the other hand, the absence of any reference to the great controversies of the past 20 years dates the book, even to the layman's eyes. For instance, "cancer,""carcinogen"or "Delsney Amendment" do not appear in the index; various saccharin compounds appear in the G.R.A.S. (Generally Regarded As Safe) list of food additives; monosodium glutamate is discussed as a flavor intensifier, but "Chinese Restaurant Syndrome" from over-expusure is not mentioned; nitrites are discussed as meat curing agents, but their role in nitrosoamine formation is not. An expert could certainly add other topics Lo this list and undoubtedly could cite work which has answered some of the questions Dr. Meyer raised 20 years ago. n c s ~ i t its e date. this hook will he heloful to those who need an inwish to appreciate a particular process in the food industry. ROBERT F. REEVES Science Chairman Deerfield Academy Deerfield. MA 01342
At first glance, a book on food chemistry given to a teacher of chemistry and physics does not appear to be too useful; however, after reading through it, I changed my opinion. Its major use is as a reference in the teaching of organic chemistry. Names and formulas of commonly known organic compounds and foods are given. Functional groups which are frequently used are defined. Examoles of reduction-oxidation reactions are eiven.
ulum. Another field of use would be in home economics where food additives, coloring matter, and flavorings are described. American legislation governing these additives are mentioned, although the author does not offer oainions eoncerninr the validitv of the lerislation. Calorie counts are givenand basic constituents ofvarious foods with their weight percentages are provided. The book is written in a straight forward factual manner. The level oT writing would be too dilficult for most students a t the high school ur technical level, but could be used as arererenee fur teachers or for students a t the university level. Each chapter concludes with a substantial list of references for further study. RONALD K. TAYLOR Box 373 Tofieid, Alberta. Canada TO8410
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Journal o f Chemical Education
Clinical B a c t e r i o l o g y John Scimone, AVI Publishing Co.. Inc. Westport. CT 1978. $10.00
"Clinical Bacteriology," a how-to book, is one of a series entitled: Functional Medical Laboratory Technology. The hook contains fourteen laboratory exercises to be performed hy the students. Each exercise is introduced by a section that defines and explains new terms and techniques. The explanations are very concise and to the point. The diagrams are well done and helpful. At the end of each exercise there are ten multiple choice questions on the material presented in the section with answers immediately following. Each section also contains a "Classification of Bacteria" table and, if appropriate, a Stains Used Table. "Clinical Bacteriology" would be useful as a resource manual for an advanced biology class. It would also be useful for senior high school science projects in biology or for individual laboratory work. Because of the subject matter, I do not see haw this manual could he incorporated into any high school chemistry program. ANDREW CORDELL Fort Worth Country Day School Fort Worth. TX 76109
2 In recent years, bacteriology has became more of a basic discipline in that i t underlies much of current biological thinking. Muehof the advanced material in microbiology and genetics, for example, is based on elementary knowledge gained in a bacteriology laboratory. For these and other reasons it is important that high school students aspiring to careers in medical laboratory technology or the allied health fields be given an early and logical introduction to the field. The "Laboratory Manual of Clinical Bacteriology" is an excellent manual for such training for it stresses basic and practical approaches to the isolation and identification of those bacteria most commonly met in the hospital laboratory. There is same theoretical explanation of concepts, but these are a t a hare minimum as they should be in a laboratory manual. The manual is suitable far use with a wide variety of textbooks, but it does demand a knowledgeable instructor who can correlate the material. Naturally, student competence in a sound college preparatory biology course (such as B.S.C.S. "Yellow") and introductorv chemistrv is a arereauisite to bacterioloeical studies.
student. From simple labs such as media preparation and culture transfers, the student is rapidly moved into more rigorous and challenging labs such as antimicrobic susceptibility testing, various staining teehniques, and throat cultures. Coupled with good classroam lectures i t seems reasonable that the first sin or seven exercises could be an excellent one-semester bacteriology course for the beginning medical technology student. The second semester could then revolve around the remaining exercises and any special topics which the instructor would like to integrate into the program. It now becomesincreasingly important for that person to correlate the more advanced labs with the current state of the art in clinical work, where on-going research and project work offers motivation for the more advanced students. In summary, I see this manual as a good introduction to clinical work for advanced high school students who have an instructor with agovd background in the field. Fundamental techniques are stillvery important in clinical bacteriology, and this manual certainly gives a broad and varied exposure to them.
MICHAEL E. LEWANDOWSKI Joseph Case High School Swansea. MA 02777
