out of print. This attests to the great popularity and usefulness of the series. Fortunately, however, the three collective volumes are still avdable. This latest volume is identical in size, stylc, appearance, and quality with all previous rclcases in the series. I t is itetuslly remarkable how year after year the editors have managed so well to maintain the high quality, general interest, and applicability of the preparations included. Without doubt this is a work of considerable value to practicing organic ehpmists. RALPH E. DUNB.4R Nasrx D*XOT*ST*T. COLLEE* II*nao, NOR"" D*noT*
MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY. VOLUME I11
F. F. Blicke and R. H. COX,Editors-inChief. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. New 356 pp. Many figs. York 1956. vi and tables. 16 X 23.5 cm. 810.50.
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VOLUME111 of this series, appearing in the same year as Volume 11, givcs promise that the delay in publication of the contained reviews may derrense. For the first two chapters of the present volume the closing drtte of the literature survey is 1952 and for the third, 1953. The fourth chapter does not specify the closing date but has references dated 1954. The method of soarching the literature, i.e., the headings searched, would he a material addition to each of the chapters. The value of Volume I11 would have been inoreesed by including a listing of the c h a p ters of Volumes I and 11. Chapter I, by Thomas P. Carney, treats Methadone and Related Analgesics. Other aaspeets of analgesics have been treated in each of the earlier volumes. The promise of the preface is not fulfilled as testing methods are not even briefly diiicussed nor is there reference to the chapters in the earlier volumes on other chemical types of analgesics. The tables are extensive, but oritical usage would require frequent use of the references as tho npecies of animal in question are not always ~pecilied. The term "inactive" rather than "inactive a t a given dose" is used from time to time in the tables. This is a worthwhile summarv of the field.
methods emphasizing the number of variahles which must be controlled to assure reproducible r e ~ u l t s is presented. The mode of action of the compounds is considered. This is a v e q useful chapter. Chapter 111, by V. Papeseh and E. F. Schroeder, deals with Non-Mercurial Diuretics. Compounds only secondarily diuretic or with other major activities such as digitalis and the hormones are also excluded. There is a. useful classification of diuretics although the place of the carbonic anhydrase inhibitors in it is not
(Catintied on page A W ) VOLUME 34, NO. 5, MAY, 1957
clear. The authors discuss the methods of testing and modes of action clearly. The presentation of dinretic sctivit,ies in s. uniform manner in the otherwise well organized tahles is apparently not possihle due t o diffwences in test mebhods. The most extensive discussion in thin good review is of purine romponnda. T h e authors' statement, "In gathering the data for this review, we have been unable t o detect any general rules describing the relation of diuretic activity to chemical structure," is refreshingly flank. Chapter IV, by A. Stempel and J. A. Aeschlimann, treats Synthetic Analogs of Physostigmine. I t is stated (p. 240) that the "nerve gases" are not considered t o he stmetnral analogs of physostigmine but there is no definition of what is. .4n interesting introduction gives t,he hackground of the work. Screening procedures w e well covered hut a tabular presentation of the numerous methods would have been helpful. Such a table would have helped in the presentation of the relativ? specificities of the compounds discussed. The authors in general report cited r c sults without judging them for thr reader (see the discussion of Ro 2-1250). The tables are apparently organized by reference with the desirable conseqoenre that results within a tahle are comparable hut the reader most be prepared to find a compound appearing in more then one table (compare Tables 10 and 13). Several stylea of designation of compounds within a tahle are used including laboratory serial numbers. This lack of nniformity secms undesirable. The tahles are not well titled as Table 7 gives subcutaneous tosicities but does not mention animal species and Table 11 is headed, in full, "Ortho Analogs." The index of the volume is adequate in view of the extensive tabulat,ion. T h e value of such reviewa would be enhanced by having a. clearer definition of the r* viewed matter and by thpir more prompt pnhlicat,ion. JACKSOX P. ENGLISH DIVI.ION, Ahlr.~l~*" CT*N*MID COMPANY PEARLR I Y I R . NEW YORK RESEARCH
CHEMISTRY OF CARBON COMPOUNDS VOLUME 111. PART B: AROMATIC COMPOUNDS Edited by E. H. Rodd. Elsevier Publishing Co., New York, 1956. nx 982 pp. 3 0 tables. 16 X 2 3 cm. $25.
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VOLUME I I I B of Radd's "Chemistry of Carbon compound^" con~t,itr~tes a continust,ion and completion of the survey of Aromatic Compounds which was undertaken in Volume IIIA in 11454. This series has to date completed its consideration of Aliphatic, Alieyelic, and Aromatic componnds in three volumes (six sepsrabe books), and will be completed with Rlt,urt. volumes on Heteracyrlir compoonda and Miscellaneous topics. (Conlinaerl on payP 42443 JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL EDUCATION
