ROOKREVIEWH
834
repeats (pp. 89-90) some of the facts discussed b y Zeller, b u t i n a n incomplete and out-of-date way. Obviously, this reviewer is not expert in the 22 different topics which make up this volume, b u t was left uneasy b y this and similar examples of lack of unity and uniformity. The reader who expects to learn all about the antimetabolites surveyed in each chapter should realize t h a t a tq-o-volume treat,ise cannot cover a subject which would require BY monographs for comprehensive coverage. The metabolic inhibitory aspect of each compound has been stressed, justifiedly, a t t h e expense of a general survey. As long as this is kept in rriind, the reader will find :I wealth of iiifiirii~:~tiiin suggest,ive of hiindretls of new ideas in a11 fields from Iii~ic~hemistry i o sl)ec,i:il :irc:ip of hicilogy :tiid medicine.
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able i n the present book. I t represents the first, one in the series t o he followed by “Structure Determin:rtion of National Products Iiy AIass Spectr(imetry,” Vol. I, .4lk:iloids: a n d Vol. IT, Pteroitls, Sesquiterpenes, et,(,., the areas i n whirti thc H!:tiiford gr(iu1) h : i ~ ni:tcte niassive iv )nt,ributi ons, The detailed consideration of fragineritatiori patterns :is i i i fiuen(w1 h y the presence of various functional groups is prcijrctril very clearly :tiid presented with great c.onfiderice. X i i r w c i ~ i i r r in the field, however, should not overlook the fact that son it^ spectra Lire full of pitfalls. The authors witrn aiid (*:tiition:Lg:iiiist lack of ~1iscriiiiiii:~ti~iii. They also poirit oiit sevei,:il p1:~iisiMrI ) i i t :is yet unproved ~nerhnriismsahirli c.~itiltltic understoncl bettcar liy proper hiheling nf c~nnipo~i~itls with iscitoliw a i i d r ~ ~ - e ~ : i ~ i i i r ~I/.~ i t i i i ~ i t
I tic l i o i i l i is l i i i * i t l l > ~tvritten : i n t i its fiirni;it is :iiir:iidvifi. Tht?se c~cin~idci~:ition~ i~)upledivith a lniv price Itinke tlic IJ(IIII< :L w r y iirip(irt:~nt:idtliticiri t o the li\)rary i i f :in orgnnic c~hoiriisti.y hIi(ir:it(iry. - 3
r.ll,:,T
~ t i , : s E i R c , [ i~,.\rroIt.\ToItiics
NORRI:IIT
N I.:
Absorption and Distribution of Drugs. Edited by T. B. 131s~~. ISM T,II.I.Y .ANI> COMP.~SV lsI~I.tx.\PoIJs6, Ixn1.4s 4 Foreword by SIRC H ~ R L E ~S ~ D L I F IThe . FVilliams and Wilkins Co., Baltimore, 3rd. 1964. xi 270 pp. 14.5 x 22 cni. $7.50.
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In 1963, the British Association of AIedical Advisors in the Pharmaceutical Industry held a syrnposiurn on fact.ors affecting the absorption and distribution of drugs. The papers presented ( i n t,hat occasion are collected i n this little voluiiie. They range from two superb surveys of H. H. Hrcidie (physico-cheniicd factors in drug absorption, and distribution and fate o f drugs: tjherapeutic implications) to sucali prac.tira1 matters as rhernic~:il (N. J. Harper) and pharmaceutical ( K . E;. Lees) manipulatioii nnd therapeutic efficacy. There are good discussions 011 physiological barriers, the blood-brain barrier (11.IV. 13radbury), and the placental barrier (J. Ginshurg). Several chapters deal with alirnent,ary absorption (I>. H. Siiiyth: ,J. 4. 1,. Gorringe ant1 E. AI. Sproston; J. 11.Payne), and others with the absorption c i f specific drugs like steroids, spironolactone, hypot,ensive agents, salirylates, hematinics, and ohemotherapeiiti(, (espec:i:illy spirar n y i n and isomet:trriidiiin~)and arnehicidal agents. Thus, the reader will find chapters on fundanient:il queutioris of passage. through diverse membranes, specaific. answers t i i suc*hproblenis :is t’he absorption of quaternary s:ilt,s, arid new ideas aiiout forrnulation procedures which might retard n r fac,ilitiite ahsorption :is t h r need arises. Symposia reflect, n:tturallp enougfi, tiit. opiriions of those experts whom the arrangers have I)een : h l r t o persuade t o ptrticipate. In the present case, both the program ilkiairnim and thv editor of the volume have done an unusually giiod jnh, as :I result o f which the whole pic>tureof drug absorpticiii h:ts been presented with clarity and detachnieiit. Any ph:trniacdiigist, ph>-sici:m, or chemist vonrerned with protileins i i f :i,l)sijrptic~riwill profit, friirii this c.onip:tc-t book.
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Interpretlition of Mass Spectra of Organic Compounds. BY H. BUDZIEIEWICZ, C. DJERASS~, and D. H. WILLIAW. HoldenDay, Inc., SPn Francisco, Calif. 1964. xiii 271 pp. 26 X 19 cm. $8.75.
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I n addition to its established use in the determination of stable isotopes, mass spectrometry remained for years a n analytical tool of t h e petroleum chemist until Stenhagen, Ryhage, Beynon, lIcLafferty, and others realized its potentialities in structure elucidation of organic compounds. More recently, Biemann applied mass spectrometry t o the structure determination of complex indole and related alkaloids, demonstrating t h e fact t h a t physical methods can become extremely useful tools in t h e prartire of organic chemistry when a n organic chemist himself beromes acquainted with physical methods and learns t o interpret physical d a t a available t o him through t h e use of sophisticated electronic instruments. This statement particularly applies t o Djerassi and his volleagues who have been ronducting extensive work in mass spectrometry of various (*lassesof organic compounds and are making their own results as well as those of other workers avail-
The Chemistry and Therapy of Disorders of Voluntary Muscles. J3y E. G. MURPHY, University of Toronto, with a n introduction by G. R . WILLI.\>is. Charles C Thomas, Publisher, Springfield, Ill. 1964. siv 123 pp. 16 X 23.5 mi. $6.50.
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The sheer fact that :t clinician, introdured by a hiorhenlist,, will write a hook on the cahemist,ry as well as the therapp of musrular diseases shows the inipact, of modern niedirinal and biochemiral thought on coniplicatetl medical problems. After decades of fruit,less trials and errors, using every type of drug, vitamin, hommone, amino acid, sugar, and what-have-you, and every niechanical arid elect r i d t,re:itment,,a rational scientific approach holds the best prnniise of success in devising therapies for these crippling and killing disorders. The introductory chapter sets forth in simple language the knoxvn facts ahout t,he hiiichemistry of muscle fibers, contraction, :tnd relaxation. The remaining chapters are devoted i , o muscle diseases: musriilar tlyst rophy, the rnyotonias, periodic paralysis, \lrArdle’s syndrnme. :iriite niyoglobinuria, polyniyosit,is, myhenia gr:Lvis, :inti :issorted i i i > ~ ~ p a t h i e sI.n earh of 1,hese rlrnpters the pathology and any Iino\vn c*heniicalabnormalities of the discirder :tre tlisciissetl, f ( i l l i r w d Iiy the :tlmost pit,ifiil met,hods r i f treatmerit av:til:tl>lt>. The sni:ill h < i ( i l
