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K E W BOOK8
Proteins a n d iiinirio Acids in S u f i i t i o n . MELVILLESAHYUS,Editol.. 566 ]Jp. Xeiy Tork: Reinhold Publishing Corporation, 1948. Price : $7.50. I?or several years t h e concentration of nutritional interest, so loiig centered o n vitamiris, has been veering sway toward proteins a n d amino acids, t h e break being conveniently bridged in p a r t by s a c h interrelationships as those of niacin and t r y p t o p h a n in t h e etiology of pellagra. There is, inderd, danger t h a t t h e enthusiasts who recently sought t o cure all t h e world's ills by vitamin dosage, mxy noly a t t e m p t a similar t o u r de force, more expensivelp! with aniino acids. I n a n y case there is obvious need of a scholarly review of t h e whole subject of proteitis and amino acids in nutrition, arid t h a t is what, Sahyun a n d his seventeen collahorittors have a t t e m p t e d t o provide in the present, book. I n t h e introduction, lr. I3.Lewis points out t h e changes of opinion about t h e dietary i n t a k e of proteins proper for ni:in. Tlie high recommendations of t h e pioneer Gernian workers gave way in t h e early yexi's of this century t o t h e l o w p r o t e i n school represented b y C h i t t e n d e n ; recently, much pri'ssure seems t o be developing t o complete t h e cycle and t o return t o levels which ivoultl have pleased Carl Voit arid J u s t u s von Liebig. But t h e present book, though shon-ing m a n y imprints of t h e ncw vogue, is largely a sober summary of evidence on protein utilizatioii. deficicncy, arid protein nutrition in clinical states. There is little 011 t h e pure physics or rhemistry of proteins or amino arids nor should one wish t h i s in t h e present contest. T h e several chapters are of u n e y u d interest uiid merit, nor do they together provide an i n t e g x t e d picture or devclop a parlicular theme. While this, as ell as t h e marked variatioiis in style.niayt)e regretred in t h e pres,iiir book,it must be a d m i t t e d that, t h e d a y of t h e rnoiiuniental treiitise, plxiined :tnd executed in det:til hy a single scholar. is o v e r ; t h e modern monograph fly multiple a u t h o r s seems t o ho t h e only solurion to the growth of knowledge ions of a n y single mind. \Te must be grateful for t h e historical chapter (of h \vhic!i, escellerii i n itself, serves t o place t h e broad problems its a developmcrit nl franir for t h e whole hook. S r v e r d ch:tpters. notal)ly those on toxiiis a n d O I I er:tl)lc viruses, seoin Li1lrelatetl t o the purpose of t h c book n i i d . though good in theniscl\ might h t v c been better ntnitted t o provide for :i more thor,ough trcntiuciit of protriii iitilizatioti slid requirements and t h e plasrna proteins. T h r c h a p t c r o n caloric, mineral, :inti vitamin reyuiremviits is disappointirig i n h o t h orgaiiizativii sild conicnt , I t is n o t c*lrarivhy 78 pages sli(iu1d he devoted t u reproJucing :t sonie\c-Iint outmoded Departiiirnt of Agriculture Circular oil t h e pr(i.siniate CuIll~XJSitiOliof l'uodstuli's. 13)- xiid l a r g r , t h e tiool; is ciearly a n d , i i i plac~,s,calegaiitly writteri. C)nr must suspect that t h e editor did a 1 ; l ~ J Oof~ IOVP in aciiievirig :I level of literary quality definitely superior t o iiiost cornpilatioils of this type. T h e documelitation is fairly voluminous, b u t t h e xbseiice of reicreriec titles and a u t h o r index will limit its use. T h e suhject index is grossly inadequate. T h e book is well printed b u t orie could n i s h for a stouter binding. Much of t h e book should be valuable for years a n d could be read with profit aiidniore t>hana modicum of pleasure by chemists, physicians, a n d graduate students as well as by the nutritionists and physiologists who should certainly invest in personal copies. -4NCEL ICEYS.
h'ezcer J f e t h o d s of P r e p a r a t i v e Organic Chemistry. Translated and revised from t h e Germari, a n d published a n d distributed iii t h e public iiiterest with t h e consent of t h e Alien Prope r t y Custodian. xiii 657 p p . S e w T o r k : Interscience Publishers, I n c . >19-18. Price: $8.50. T h i s is a translatioil, v i t h some estensions a n d revisions, of a series of revicn. :Lrticles which appeared in Die Chemie beginning in 1910. Tlie chapter headings. with t h e names uf t h e authors a n d (in parentheses) translat,ors, are: 1. Oxidations Kith Irt!ad Tetraacetate a n d Periodic -kcid, Criegee (Edens, G r a h a m ) . 2 . Dehydrogenations n i t h Sulfur, Selenium, a n d Platinurn Metals. P l a t t n e r (Akrmstrong). 3. Reductions with Raiicy S i c k e l Catalysts, Schriiter f3:ilminen). 1. Hydrogenation with ('opper C'hromitc ('xtalysts. Gruridmanli
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