Isotopic Tracers
G. E. Francis, St. Bartholomew's Hospital Medical College, London, W. Mulligun, Glasgow University Veterinary School, and A. W a n a l l , St. Bartholomew'sHospitalMedicalCollege,London. 2nd ed. Essential Books, Fair Lawn, New Jersey, 1960 (Oxford University 524 pp. Figs. and Press). xx tables. 14.5 X 22 cm. $8.40.
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This second edition is once sgsin s. publication of the course in Isotope Methodology given in the Medical College of St. Bartholomew's London. I t is organized in two parts, Part I heing titled "Theoretical Considerations" and Part 11, "Practical Course!' Part I contains two new chapters titled Interpretstion of Radioactivity Measurements and The Use of Isotopic Tracers in Investigations on the Kinetics of Biological Processes. Part I1 has also been considerably enlarged through the addition of seven new exercises covering these subjects: The Distribution of P-32 in Tissues following the Injection of P-3ZContsining Inorganic Phosphate into Mice, The Determination of Exchangeable Sodium in Rabbits, Using Na-24, Experiments on Thyroid, Experiments with Radioactive Iron, Labelling of Red Cells Simultaneoudy with P-32 and Cr-51, and Determination of the Intracellular Plasma. of Centrifuged Red Blood Cells. Exercise 1, The Use of Counting Apparatus for the Measurement of Radioactive Isotope8 has also been enlarged. In the preface to the second edition the authors state, "During the past four years tremendous advances have been made with regard to instrumentation . . ." and, "In writing this second edition we have been largely concerned with enlarging and hringing up to date the peetiom dealing with instrumentation and in expanding the section dealing with the practical side of tracer methodology . . . ." I t is the reviewer's opinion that the authors have not achieved their stated purpose. For example, in the chapter on Measurement of Stable Isotopes, fallowing a discussion of density methods for measuring deuterium, reference is made to the infrnred determination of HOD, and then the statement: "For the determination of all other stable isotopes a Mass Spectrometer is required." Apparently the authors are unaware of nuclenr magnetic resonance (NMR) methods, or that infrared measurements of deuterium-containing compounds other than HOD can be quite useful. Again, in their chapter on Measurement of Radioactivity, the reader is a p t to obtain a misleading impression of the very important and widely used ionieatian-chamber method for carbon-14 and tritium assay, for from the text one is left with the impremion that the most important application of the ionisation-chamber method is for "measuring dose raten for health protection purposes." In the chapter titled Synthesis or Preparation of Lahelled Compounds, the discussion of methods for deuterium labeling is limited to references to exchange reactions and to catalytic reductions with deuterium gas. There is no mention of the very useful and versatile reagent, lithium aluminum deuteride. In a discussion of the isotope effect, we find on page 16 the statement,
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"There is, however, no evidence that these 'isotope effects' are normally of great magnitude in the complex hioohemical systems of animal and plant organisms"-a very curious conclusion in view of the well-known work of several years standing a n the theory of the isotope effect by Bigeleisen, Melander, and Downes. In the hook there is much worthw.hile information which presumably is useful to the medical student who wishes to he exposed to some general principles of isotopic procedure as applied to physiology. For the research scientist, however, the material of value is readily available in several other texts. Further, the omission by the authors of much up-to-date information with respect to the isotope effect, instrumentation, and labeling procedures, materially detracts from its usefulness. "Isotopic Tracers" is therefore not recommended for the research chemist or hiochemist.
The reviewer is aware of the vast proh lem encountered by the authors, who did an admirable task of bringing order out of ohms. Yet he wishes they had been a. hit more decisive in regard to olaasificatian. In Chapter 2, entitled Classification of Gums and Mucilages, three main hhedings me given: acidic, neutral, and a hypothetical basic group (for future synthetic gums). Yet throughout moet of the hook (with the exception of Tables 28 to 31) the palysaocharides are classified according to occurrence. This book is a very specialized manograph for the research worker in the carbohydrate field. About a third of it is concerned with the structure of polysaccharides in general; the rest is highly descriptive, de~ignedfor the specialist.
JOHN W. GREEN Institute of Papel Chmnislw Appleton, Wisconsin
CLAIRJ. COLLINB
Oak Ridge National Laboratory Oak Ridge, Tennessee
Chemistry of Plant Gums a n d Mucilmges and Some Related Polyrarcharides F. Smith, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, and R. Montgorner~~,State University of Iowa, Iowa City. (ACS Monograph No. 141.) Reinhold Puhlishing Corp., New York, 1959. x 627 pp. Figs. and tables. I6 X 23.5 cm. $18.
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This hook is specialized, dealing with s large group of waterwduhle or dispersible plant polysacchwides. The authors have done a commendable job of uniting in one hook a vast amount (2700 references) of information concerning the chemistry of these materisls. Approximately 100 polysaccharides are discussed, according to their occurrence and also according to their chemical structure. They are listed as gum exudates and as constituents of seeds, roots, and seaweeds. The reader will be aware of some of these, as gum arahic or gum tragtgacanth. The care of the book (six chapters) is devoted to the determination of molecular weight, to the identification of the several sugar units, and to the elucidation of structure by methylation techniques and periodate oxidation. These chapters, while directed specifically a t certain given polysaccharides, can be applied to polysaccharide chemistry in general. At the end of the hook is given alist of the various methylated sugar units and their physical properties, a vsluahle aid to the laboratory worker. This list complements Chapter 10 (The Identification of the Cleavage Products of Methylated Gums and Mucilages). A series of five chapters deals with the structure of the several classes of gums, the classification being according to occurrence. An earlier chapter deals with the detection and identification of the various types. These chapters are descriptive and contain a vast amount of empirical detail.
Instrumental Methods of Chemical Analysis Galen W. Ewing, New Mexico Highlands University, Lss Vegss, New Mexico. 2nd ed. McGraw-Hill Book Ca., Inc., New York, 1960. viii 454 pp. Figs. and tahles. 16 X 23.5 om. $8.90.
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The second edition of this text retain8 most of the desirrthle features of the earlier work (reviewed in THIS ~ O U I I N A L , 32, 546 (1955)), and the author continues to present the theory and application of selected modern analytical techniques a t a level that can he comprehended by advanced undergraduate and firsbyear graduate students. In order to bring his treatment up to date Profe~sorEaing has rearranged same of the material, deleted certain discussions and expanded others, and added a few new topics. In the new sequence, optical methods are presented first. This unit of six chapters (148 pages) is pteceded by an introductory chaptor comprised largely of sections from sesttewd chapters of the earlier edition; to this have heen added some useful energy-level diiglsms. Chapter 3, The Absorption of Radiation: Ultraviolet and Visible, contains improved and expanded sections on slective a b sorption, structure determination, and precision photometry: and the discussion of the identification of a mmplex is a welcome addition. Chapter 1, The Absorption of Radiation: Infrared, has been strengthened by the inclusion of frequency assignment charts and information concerning the properties of infmred transmitting materials. The reviewer regrets, however, that drastic deletions were made in revising Chapter 8, Refractivity and Disoersion i n o r onlv 5 uapesI. Certain found in many other refermeen. A second unit of four chapters (87 pages) on electroehemiesl methods is also preceded by s new introductory c h a p ter. In this introduction the reviewer (Conlinued on page A76e)
BOOK REVIEWS does not believe the author has achieved the degree of clarity he hoped for in presenting a simplified thermodynamic derivation of the Wernst equation. One must note, however, the improvements that have been made in Chapter 10, Potentiometry, particularly in the sections an hydrogen ion measurement, t,he glass electrode, and oxidation-~.edurtion titrations. Chapter 11, Voltammetry and Polarography, has been almost completely rewritten and now includes sections on the theory of current-voltage m n ~ e s and the eqnatian for the polnrographir urave, together with better chosen polarograms to illustrate points under discussion. In Chapter 14, Radioartivity sr an .4nalytical Tool, practically all ~cctions
have been expanded and one now finds a discussion of counting errors, pulseheight znalysis, and neutron counting. Chapter 16, Slagnetic Kesonnncc Spcctrosaopy (13 pages), is new to this cdition, and in Chapter 18, Chromatography, hricf sertions on electroehmmatography and gas chromatography appear for the first tima The l a ~ b n a m e d topic p r e sumablv replaces the firat edition's ehnpter on the analysis of gases (1,s methods other than gas chromatography). Missing also fmm the revised work is a chapter on the det,rtminat.ion of water. The ncw Chaptor 21, Electronir Cireoit,ry for Analytical Instmments, p r o b ably will not please those u-ho for years have dewied the inclusion of a n y discussion of insttwncntation and rlrrtlmnics in a coiwse in instrumental anslvsis. I n the revicww's opinion, P~.ofcssorEwing quite cortwtly r~cognizeatho nccd today
for all chemists to havc some knowledge of elementary elertronirs, and instead of ignoring the problem in the hopes it will disappear he has attempted to do something about it. I n cellah portions of Chapter 21 the presentstions are remarkably clear despite thek brevity; in other sections the treatment may he too sophisticated and the diagrams more elaborate than the average student will he able to appreciate. Perhaps in a later revision thcse seeming drfrrts may he remedied. Of the 33 laboratory exprriment,~in the first edition, 21 h a w been 1,etained with minor revisions; to these have been added five new exercises. A number of other rhnngrs have improved the value of the text: literature references have been brooght up to date (into 1'359), Bihliogrsphia Notes have been sdded to rseh chapter, bold-fare captions a t the top of rarh page indicate the topic under discussion on that page, and (although most chapters retain problems from the previous edition) many new problems have been included. I n s h o ~ tthe , "new Ehing" is just thatan improved new edibion that can he heartily recommended.
H . W.S A ~ F O R D University of Pittsburgh Pitlsbwgh. P~nnsyluanin
Symposium on Basic Research
Edited by Dael Ii.olflr. Puhlicat~iun KO. 56 of t h r Amwican Association for the Advancement of Srieneo. Wsshington, U. C., 105!1. xx 308 pp Figs. 16 X 23.5 rm. (Prepaid t,o A.4AS members, $2.50) $3.
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This important symposium n a s attended by some 450 r~presentntivesselertod from the academic world, governmmt, industry, foundations and research institutes, and lawyers, bankers, and publishers. They met for almost three days to listen to papers and to participate in panel di~cussionsfollming each session's papers. This book contains the papem and also summaries of the panel discuisions prepared by llael Wolfle, the editor. The program was opened appropriately by a paper on the importance of new knowledge, "new knowledge is useful," "the getting of it is cnohling;" several industrial part,icipants pointed out also that, industry profits in scversl ways from participation in hssic research and that basic research brings understanding. As might be expected, considerable time was npent, in an &tempt to define basic research. The reviewer liked the statement of the participant u-ho used a geographical sndogy-"Everyone knows in s general way the location of the Middle West and Far West hut no one can locate s n exact dividing line between the regionx!' So it is with basic research and applied research. What arrangements best support basic research? There is no single way, hnt the answers of the participants fell in
(Continued o n page 4754)
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