JOURNAL O F CHEMICAL EDUCATION
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BIOCHEMICAL INVESTIGATIONS IN DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT
John D. N. Nabarm, Assistant Physician, Middlesex Hospital, London. Little. Brown and Company, Boston, 1955. ix + 299 pp. 5 figs. 8 tables. 14.5 X 22 om. $6.
the chemist who is unequipped to come to grips with medical problems must so frequently guide the doctor by recommending what testa ought to he done and in interpreting the results of these tests for the ohvsicisn. I t is in just these areas that the book will prove heip&l. The physici~n-authorhits written the book from the bedside viewpoint rather than from that of the laboratory, and consequently has something different from most currently available texts in the field. He has taken up matters of disturbance in water balance, acid-base and eleetrolyte esuilibrium, mineral meta,halism, carbohydrate, protein, and f a t metabolism, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, liver, kidneys, and endocrine glands, and some consideration of vitamin deficiencies and common poisons. Each section contains a brief review of the fundamental physiology involved and a discussion of the common tests and their significancein diagnosis. For the sake of brevity, technical laboratory details are generally omitted and reference is made to original papers or other texts for such information. The bibliography, it seems to this reviewer, is a. little brief and might have been expanded to include more alternative procedures, thus adding breadth to the treatment. Despite this fact the bookis practical for its purposes and should find wide use. Not the least valuable feature is that of the useful tables on the normal values for concentration of materials in the different body fluids. ELIOT F. BEACH METBOPO~ITANL
~ INBYRANOE B COMPANY NEW YORK.N. Y.
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THE PROTEINS: CHEMISTRY, BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY, AND METHODS. VOLUME 11, PART B
Edited by Hons Neurath, Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, and Kenneth Bailey, Department of Bio. chemistry, University of Cambridge, England. Academic Press, Inc., New York, 1954. ix 1418 pp. 90 figs. 6 plates. Tables. 16 X 23.5 em. $16.50.
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THIS volume completes the four-volume series embracing an exhaustive review and discussion of our present knowledge of the proteins. Considered together these four volumes will be referred to for many years, not only for all phases of the chemistry of these important macromolecules, hut also far their biological properties and biological activities. In keeping with the pattern of the earlier volumes, the authors of the chapters in this hook present their material in great detail so that the reader is provided with s broad background of theoretical considerations as well as applications. Six chapters (Chapters 21 t o 26) make up this Part B asfollows. "Intemtitialprateius. The proteins of blood plasma and lymph," by Walter L. Hughes; "The proteins of immune reactions," by William C. Boyd; "Structure proteins, I," by J. C. Kendrees; "Structure proteins, 11: Muscle," by Kenneth Bailey; "Proteolytic enzymes," by Michael Green and Hans Neurath; "Peptide and protein synthesis. Protein turnover," by H. Tamer. An author and subject index to Parts A and B of Volume I1 is appended.
The reeder will be impressed with the contributions that the use of purely physical methods have made to the elucidation of ~. structure. Indeed, almost all current concepts of the configuration of structure proteins such as the keratins, collagens, and musele proteins rest on X-ray diffractionpatterns, spectrowronv. elect,ron mioroeraohs. and other measurements more ~
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DENVER. COLORADO
SEMIMICRO QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS
F. 3. Welcher, Professor of Chemistry, Indiana University, and R. B. Hahn, Associate Professor of Chemistry, Wayne University. 497 pp. 40 D. Van Nostrand Ca., Inc., New York, 1955. x figs. 58 tables. 15.5 X 23.5 em. College, $6.50. Referencs, $8.
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T ~ r book s provides muoh more factual information than the typical qualitative book. In fact, it is so far removed from the usual qualitative manual that it probably rates the name reference work. In line with this approach there is much more detailed coverage of properties and reactions, and more space devoted to reasons for deviations from ex~ectedbehavior of a solution. The sections (648) are numbered and thus allow ready pinpoint orass reference. There are many questions and problems provided throughout the book. Perhaps the most unusual feature of the book is the inclusion a t the center of the book of a splendid collection of tables. In addition to the usual tables of ionization constants, solubility products, etc., there are two fine ones: Properties of Inorganic Compounds, and Properties of the Metals and Ions. The hook gives the student every opportunity to avoid the pitfall of "cook-book chemistry" lab work. The mass of information here assembled may prove to be a handicap to the poor student because he fears that there is so much he
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rannnt"".." apt an"
T1.r A i v f problem nppewr r u he just whr.rr. 1%)fir :I iourrr using thi.2 h , k as a text. I r is too solid to m s r v on a llnplmmrd pnrk semester qualitative course. There is not enough descriptive matter for a fullsemester of general chemistry. I t does seemideal for a course in aualitative analmis. a use for whiohit was carefully written. HARRY H. BATEY, JR. STATECOLLEWOF WABHINOTON PULLMAN. WABBIN~TON
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ISOTOPIC GAS ANALYSIS FOR BIOCHEMISTS
R. F. Glascock, Head of Isotope Section, National Institute for Research and Dairying, University of Reading. Academic Press, Inc., New York, 1954. vi 247 pp. 74 figs. 8 tables. $5.80.
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CONTNN~ enough pointers on high-vacuum apparatus, handling small gas volumes, and radioactive counting procedures to make the book valuable to workers in many fields. The pmtieular subjects dealt with, taken Largely from chapter headings, inelude: radioactive assay methods; gas phase analysis of carbon14; determination of deuterium and of tritium; ,preparation of labeled compounds ttnd their combustion. Coplous use of extracts from the original literature go far to reduce emphasis upon typically British methods and procedures.
