Reeewt
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biochemistry is contemporary, no his introduction is truly a historical background. The printing and paper are attractive. The size and weight of the book make it easy to handle. One would wish for more illustrations, and a bit more of the human side of the men who made the history. However, the author has achieved his purpose, and publishers, too, must follow the trend of thr industrial equation, i.e.,
A+B=X. R. D. BIT.LINGER L E H , ~ ,U, V ~ V E R B ~ T I BETHLEHES,. FEINBILV*NI*
SOME ASPECTS OF THE CHEMISTRY AM) TOXIC ACTION OF ORGANIC COMPOUNDS CONTAINING PHOSPHORUS AND FLUORINE
Bernard Charles Sounders, University Ledurer in Chemistry, Cambridge. The University Press. Cambridge. 1957. xvi 231 pp. 2 plates and 23 figs. 14.5 X 22.5 cm. $6.
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AT TEA beginning of World War I1 it was discovered independently in England and Germany that compounds containing the group POF were powerful poisons. The action was ehieHy on the nervous system, and the snbstancea, of which dii~opropyl phosphofl~~oriditte(diisoprapyl tluorophasphonate, I1.F.P.) was t,ypieal, were therefore called "nerve gases." All during the war intensive research on these compounds was carried on, especially a t Cambridge in England. The results of this work and its continuation are described in this monograph. The Camhridge workow quickly became interested also in the extremely toxic methyl fluoroacetate (M.F.A.), in which the aotive group is CHZCO, and the properties of this and related compounds sro also discussed in this book. D.F.P. acts as an itnticholinesterase and thus inhibits transmission of a nervous impulse across a synapse where scetyl eholine is required. M.F.A. is built by the body eneymes into fluorocitrate which ent m the Krcbs cycle of carbohydrate midation and blocks it completely. Since both these processes me essential to life, the extreme toxicity of these compounds is explained. In the present monograph, Saunders, who led the research group a t Cambridge, has brilliantly summed up the chemical and pharmacological reactions of these substances. Many novel synthetic methods are described lor their preparation, and new analytical techniques are reported. Biochemical studies with these omp pounds have provided much now evidence in support of the beta oxidation theory of fatty acids. They are very useful xs insecticides, especially since they can be incorporated systemically into plants and ran thus kill insects which are not reached
operative paralytic ileus. (Cmlinued on page A%%)
VOLUME 35, NO. 5, MAY, 1958
All these topics are discussed clearly and in detail. Enough phy~iologyis presented to give the average c h e m i ~ tan understanding of the hiochemieal mechanisms involved. The relation between chemical structure and degree of toxicity has been carefully worked out, and a number of methods for increasing thc potency of the compounds for purpaaes of warfare arp drscribcd. Among these is the use of D.F.P. as a diluent for mustard gas. As the author remarks, bhis gives a very "unwholesome" mixture. I t is indeed fortunate that these suhstanceii were not employed for the destruction of human life, and that, as Ssunders mya, "the progrms of the work provides a wonderful example of the heating of the proverhid swords into plongh8hnres." H E N R Y XI. LEICESTER COLLECEOF PIIYBICIINB AND Smoroh-8 SAX F n * ~ c l s c o .( . * L I F o R ~ . ~ *
SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL TRANSLATING Secretariat and Baud of Editors, UNESCO, Paris; UNESCO Publication Center, New York, 1957. 282 pp. 15.4 X 24 cm. $4.
CALLED .a progresd report, this pohlication is the fourth in the UNESCO series on Donmentalion and Terminology of Seience. I t is the reault of long collaboration hetween the Secretariat of UNESCO and aver 200 persons in 21 countries, assembled by three national editors (English, French, Italisn). Seven chapters cover the proportionate requirements for the knowledge of lnngnages, in terms of both the literabore nvailahle and the needs of readers; methods and organizations for making tranalationr avnilahle; language prohlems of srienti~tsand propoaed artificial international languages; and the perennial difficulties of terminology and lexieography, with constructive suggestions for improving technical dietionariea. The introdnetion emphasizes the fact that about 50% of scientific literature is in languages that more than 50%of scientists cannot read. There is a n interesting discussion of the types ofindividuels and services for translating; the great need far pooling and indexing the results of such lahors everywhere, in order t o avoid expennive and wasteful duplication of effort; and the problems of publication and copyright involved. The fact that English receives increasing support-and not only from those t o whom i t is netive-is no reason for us to relax in urging the study of foreign languages by our scientists and technologists. With the Frenoh and German, once considered sufficient for the reading of scientific literah e , Russian has long deserved equal attention. Spanish and Italian have risen in importance; and for ccrtain develop ments, one Scandinavian language (e.g., Swedish) and an idnographic one (e.g., Chinese) are also often nerded. There are four enlightening appendices. (Continued on page A$%)
JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL EDUCATION
