BOOK REVIEWS Principles of Radiation Dosimetry
G. N . Whyte, National Research Council, Ottawa, and Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 124 pp. New York, 1959. vii Figs. and tables. 16 X 23.5 cm. $7.
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Radiation dosimetry presents problems, not always well appreciated, both to the novice and to the mast accomplished experts in the fields of radiation chemistry, radiation physics, radiation hiology, and radiology. In many experiments designed to illuminate mechanisms in radiation chemistry, radiation intensity is varied by changes in geometry, in source, and in intervening medium. I t is not always appreciated that such changes may affect the quality of the radiation and thus delude
the experimenter as to the true muses of changes in observed energy yields. The cognoscenti are, or should be, aware of such essentially physical inconvenience; they do, or should, devise their experiments to eliminate the consequent illusions. This book may help them to do so. The major function of "Principles of Radiation Dosimetry" is to emphasize and indicate the existence of problems resulta n t from the manner of physical interaction of radiation with matter and to serve as a guide to the pertinent literature. The hook contains a, sufficient amount of physical detail so that the reader is informed gracefully of the language of the subject and of the practicaland theoretical difficulties with which he is certain to be confronted--either knowingly or unknowingly. Further, the general nature of the solution of the problems is given far the simpler cases and indicated for the more complicated ones.
The book is written from the viewpoint of a physicist who has a major interest in the problems of radiology-particularly radiotherapy. Consequently, some festures which a chemist might seek are absent. Chemical dosimetry is barely touched upon; the hook contains about threequarters of a. page an the subject. The problems peculiar to such dosimetry are only lightly indicated. On the other hand, the radiation chemist is unlikely to learn of the many pitfalls which beset him without some guide such as this. Some notion of the quality and objectives of this hook is given by the fact that the first discussion of actual measurement hegins on page 72 of a ll&page text. Even after that point, Professor Whyte keeps his work true to the title he selected. This small volume is definitely concerned with principles; its author and its publisher are both t o be congratulated for the selection of the subject, its treatment, and its p r e s entation. M I L T ~B N~ R T O N Uniuwsity of Notre Dame Notre Dame, Indiana Scientific Russian Without Tears
J . W . Perry, Center for Documentation and Communication Research, Western Reserve University, Cleveland. Chicago Section, American Chemical Society, Inc., Chicago, 1959. 26 pp. 15 X 23 cm. Pamphlet. $1. This 26-page pamphlet ie s n shridgment chiefly based upon Professor Perry's pioneering comprehensive textbook (816 pp.) entitled "Scientific Russisn, A Textbook for Classes and Self Study" (Interscience Publishers, New Yark, 1950, $7.50). The extreme brevity of such presentation obviously limits its v d u e as a text. At best, it can only serve as a terse outline of the language sufficient to indicate to the student, rtt small financial risk, whether he really wants to learn Scientific Russian after all. I t is pleasantly printed, hut contains a fair number of typographical, spelling, and composition errors. Although the reviewer agrees with the author that tears need not he shed in t.he study of Scientific Russisn, the study of a foreign language does involve tribulations. Of the two works by Professor Perry, the ahove-mentioned, original, expanded textbook is recommended to the scientiststudent instead of the present pamphlet.
IRVING S. BENGELSUORF T a m - U . 8. Chemical Company Parsippany, New Jersey An Experimental Inquiry into the Prineiples of Nutrition and the Digestive Process
John R. Young, with a n introductory essav b v William C. Rose. Universitv ~~~" of 1 k n & Press, Urhena, 1959. xvvi 48 pp. 14 X 21 om. 82.50.
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This handsome little hook is No. 1 of "Facsimile Reprints in the history of science, sponsored b y the H i ~ t o r y of Soience Society of the University of (Continued on page A 3 O )
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Journal of Chemical Educafion
