388 CHEMISTRY AND INDUSTRY Jlny 4 . 1034

from symmetrically constituted cornpoitiids through the intcrnicdinte cmployincnt of opticnlly active substiiuccs. The first part of this monogriil)ll contains an excellent review and discussion of tlic various methods ttsing opticiilly active compounds of known nnd of unknown consthition by which such sptliescs have been nchicrcd. Proni the SIICCCSS of tlirse espcriincnts it is easy to understand how in nnture thnt once one opticiilly active compound ltns been synthesized, its asynimctry can lie propngntccl to other compounds by asyninictric syntheses of tlic type described. The C:IIISC of the iuitinl itsymmetric syntlicsis is pcrhnps to be soitglit in sonic nnturiilly occurring dissyninietriciil p1ysic:il iigency, smh iis the reflected sunliglit from the surfncc of the SC:~,

which is p&iiiIly ellipticdly poliirizetl, and 1:ihorat ory attempts t o procure an absolute nsymiuetric synthcsis of this type linvc been pnrti:dly successful. The sccond part of tlic monogrnpli discusses tlie contro- rersiiil su1)jcct of nsymmetric iiirluction.

l’lic monogrnpli will be \vclconiecl by all those interested in stcrcocltcmiciil theory nncl in clieiuiciil synthesis in nntiirc, \vliose powers of asymmetric sptliesis iire cinplinsizetl by the recent finding t l i i i t chlorophyll is optically active. I<. P. A.

BIOCHEMISTRY ORGASIC m i ) UIoCIimIsrm-. Jly R. H. A. Plimmcr,

D.Sc. 5th ~ d . Pp. s + 624. L O U ~ O U : L01ig- niiins, Green LFC Co., 1033. 21s.

Earlier editions of this book linvc secured i t R

prominent place in the libriirics of nil biochciiiictil and mcdicnl schools. That this is so is cnougli to prove thnt it is einincntly suitiible for its piirposc and that any but the niiltlcst criticism is out of pliicc. The Inter editions differ Goni the original in that muclt thcorcticnl work has been introduced in wlint was once LL purely priictical handbook. This cspiin- sion hiis I)cen dctrinicntiil in that the book now tctitls to fnll betwen two stools : much compression is necessary in order to keep it doivn to a rcasoniiblc size and this results i n a wry hnsty treiitInc1it of tlic theoretical side nnd a lack of dctail in tlic descriptions of experiments. This is particularly obvious ill tlie earlier clinptcrs ilciiling with pure orgiinic cl~cn~istry. The clieniistry of the nlcoliols, itltlcliydes, ketones, and similar I)odics is very riipitlly glosscd over, while tlic nronintic compounds iirc still niorc driistic- nlly trciitctl, benzene and all its mono-siilJstitittioii derivtitivcs being cro\vdecl into 11 sitiglc chiiptcr. Tliis brevity is nchicvetl hy ruthlessly cutting out cvcry- thing ]Jilt fucts ; the history, the ittdttstriiil importiincc, nny odd itcms of interest nboiit substiinccs iirc almost complctrly neglected. Siniilnrly tlicrc is a sciircity of graplis, dirigrunts; iiiid illustrations.

The priicticiil side of tlic book iilso sitffcrs from lack of dctuil. It inuy bc iirgucd thiit tlic student

to think things out for Iiitnsclf tiiorc tltiin the uveriigc textbook iillows Iiim, but this Utopinn idcd is only practicable for n very sinnll percentitgo of students. As the majority of those rending clcrnctitnry bio-

sllould not be spoon-fed nnd t h n t he 8Ilould be 1nr1tlc

chemistry arc medical students, \vho on the \vliolc nrc npt to rcgnrd biochemistry ns n neccssnry evil- a wry snd state of nffnirs, but a w r y prcvnlciit one- i t is to be regretted thnt the bioclicniicnl clliiptcrs of this book tend to the cheniical ns opposed to the physiological side.

These criticisms of this book arc mostly 1 ) n . d on the iiuthor’s nttitudc to the position of biochcniistry in rclntion to other branclics of nnturiil seicnce. In the prefiice he states t h n t “ the general trcatnirnt . . . has been to consider orgnnic chemistry ns tltc basis of physiologicd chemistry, or ratlicr the two ns one subjecdbiocltcmistry.” Tliis follows tlie modern tendency, but i t is a tlnngcrous one ns i t leads to too little iniportnnce being nttribnted to the coiil-tilr derivatives and to the more industriiil side of orgiinic chenustry. 1,. 31. JI.

~hJSIJAJIESTALS OF ~ I O C H E . \ l I S T R Y : IS l~EL.11’IOII TO 1Eums ~ ~ I I . ; S I O ~ . O C Y . M y 1’. R, Pairsons, JLSc., 1I.A. 4th ctl. 1’1). sii -+ 435. Cam- bridge : W. llcffcr k Sons, Lttl., 1833. 10s. &I.

J3iochcmiciil knowletlgc Itiis grown iit sttcli ii greiit pace in the lnst few yciirs t l i i i t tltc third edition of this book, which wiis brought out in 1827, lied I J C ~ O I I I C very much out of date. It his tlicrcforc hnd to I)e liirgcly re-written, i int l his, incitlcntnlly, g r o w Iy over ii liundrcd pgcs. It is written for those reiiding biochemistry as part of i i pliysiologiciil c o ~ r c e , iind is inorc suited to tlie nicdicul stutlent tltm to tltc clicmist, its the reader is iisstuiicd to possess only ii

w r y sruall previous knowlcilgc of physics nnd chciiiistry. Tliosc ucqtiiiintcd with previous editions 1i:irdly need to be told t h a t the iiuthor writes \\.it11 imuginiition iiud liiis the by 110 iueiiiis usual u1)ility of cspliiiniitg complicutcd fiicts in II simple way. He iippenrs, however, to hiivc an iivcrsion to mention- ing pcoplc’s uiiine~ niore tlinn is iil)sol\itely Iiecessiiry, tind the book suffers in t h a t students wisliing to invest ijiiitc more dccply the work iiicntioiicd can Iiave little idcii of ivlierc to find it,. The bibtio- griiphies t i t the end of caclt cltitptcr nre, lio\vcvcr,

~ O l n ~ J U ~ i S O l i S bctwccu this edition iml the prcvioiis one tire interesting as they slio\v very clearly the iidviinccs iniidc in tlic subject in thc last sis yciirs. Aniong tlic iuost striking of tlicsc itre tlic adoption of tlic I J ~ ~ ~ I I ~ O S C rntlar t l i i i n the fiirnnosc ring for the noriiiiil sitgiirs ; the incrcming coniplcsity of the chcniistry of iiiiisciiliir coiitriiction, inclttcling the cfrccts ol‘ iotloiicctic itcitl and tlic functions of pliospliirgcn rind iitlciiyl pyrop1iosl~liit.c ; tlir discovery of cytocliroinc tind tlic grciit growtli in our kno\rlcdgc of tissuc oidiitions ; tlic invcstigutions into the constitutions of tlie blood pignicnts iiiid rcliitctl substances, and the discovery of the clieiniciil ttiiturc of vitiitiiins-A, -12, iind -4. Tltid list is by no niciins csli:iustivc. 011 tlic otlicr liniid, i t is interesting to note t l i i i t l)riicticirlly no iiilv~incc liris bccn niritlc iti clucitliiting the ~iiodc of actioii of iusitlin, tlic discovery of wlticli slioultl grciitly witlcn oitr laiowlc1lgu of

udcqui1tcly up to date.

ciirboliydratc nichbolism. L. 11. If.

Mlly 4. 1Y:ll CHEMISTRY AND INDUSTRY 389

YiiI-sIcAI, CiiKSiISTi{I- OF Lrvrst: TISSUES ASI) 1,IFE 1’xoo:ssfi:s. 15y R. 13cutncr, M.D., 1’11.1). Pp. s + 337. 1,oiidoii : Bnillibrc, l’iiidall& Cos, 1033. 26s.

l’liis intcrcst.ing voliinie I J ~ Prof. Ucutncr should iippenl not only to tlic pliysicitl chcmist ant1 tlic csperi- mrntal biologist but. to ii niucli wider rnnpe of rciitiers. Itp brings nnder onc cover Iargc nniount of scattcred inforniiition concerning the many contrihtions wliicli t hc study of physicnl chcniistry lins iiintlc to our knowlcdgc of t,lic incclinnisnis underlying ivcll- known hiologiciil p1ienonicn:i. Tlic niitlior is a rnecliiinist of tlic decpcst dye and his vigorous t.rratnicnt of the snbjcct ii1itl his -1inconipro.o”iiuiiig at,titutle riidcly dispel the qiiict.ly contcmplntire frnnir of mind tl int cngciitlcrs :itid fostcn comforting thoughts dcliciitely t,intcd with vit n I’ ISlll.

1 lie title piigc Iicnrs tlie quotiition “ Life in iill its complesity S C ~ I I I S to be no illore tliitn one of tlic innunieriiIh propcrtics of tlic compounds of cnrlmi.” Tlic IJOO~; cnds *‘ Scientific tlcrclopnient of our day iippC:irs to us, thcreforc, 11s n turning point in tlic history of tlic ei1rt11, leiidilig to tlic tlc\.clop~iicnt of lifc tliorouglily controlled by huninn knowlctlgc.” Sucli is tlic twin of tliouglit guitling tlrc discussion througlioiit tlic book.

Tiil\.cn iis :i wl~ole tlic prcsentkon scenis to lack proportion n n d :I few quitc minor tlefccts rippear to be ningnifietl by i i litcrnry style wliich is unnttrnc- tivc iintl often irritiitinp. Sc\~ert~liclrss, i t is 11 book wliicli cvwyonc interestctl in tlic pliysical chemistry of life proccssrs slionltl read.

, I

J. C. D.

ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY ALLEX’S COJ~~IEI~CIAL OIGAXIC ASALYSIS. Edited

by C. Ainsworbli Jlitclicll, S l A , I).Sc., and scvcrnl cont~ributors. l‘ol. XI 5th edition, rcvisctl ;inel piirtly rcwrittcn. Protcins of 13lood ctc. \’itmiins, IZoriiioncs, Wootls niid Ch:ircoaIs, Pectic Siibstanccs. C:cncr:d Intlcs. 1’1). si + 817. T,otldon : J. & A. Clinrcliill, 1035. 3%.

This is tlic fiuiil V O ~ U I I I C of tlic 5th edition of n well-tried companion of iiiiiziy clicziiists. For tlic first tiiric in commercial irnnlysis \vc iirc brought facc to fiicc with vittirnins, with horiiioiics, with tlic activc priuciplcs of tlic c~idocriiic gluiids; cvcu sex ciitcrs into iiniilyticd clicniistry. Tlic ~ i c w develop- niciits arc tiincly, tlicy iirc a proof of tlic cstcusion of science i~nd beiir witness illso to t h ratc rit wliich i t ciili clc\~clop in tliosc brunchcs which bccoiue ftisliioniiblc iiiitl attract ti iiunibcr of workers. l\s before, 1i niiiiibcr of well-know experts, closely rissociritctI wit11 tlicir snl)jccts, Iirivc written tIic sechi i s ; wit,li oiie osception they arc rill I4:nglisIi, tlirit cniinciit riutliority on colloids, Jcroiiic Alcsi~ndcr, rcvising thc scctioii 011 iilbuniinoids which Iic contri- buted to tlic previous cclilion. 12mmoglobin is adcquatcly dciilt with hy J. A. Garclncr and G. L\. Uuckmastor in 11s pges . W. 1’. Dreripcr iind 11. I f . Bhirriott dcscribc tlic imilysiu of‘ the striicturnl protciiis, silk, h i r , \vooI, u d fur. Thc csaliiilintion

. ,,’

of furs is bcconung quitc nti iniportant mittcr sincc thcy linvc bccorue tlic subjcct of difficult legiil ciiscs owing to tlic :illcgcd prcscncc of irritant dyestuffs causing dcrrnntitis : tlic section will be found up to datc in tllis conncsion. Vitamins iirc described by J. C. Drrimmond auel Xiss K. 11. Coward, who Iinvc collcctcd tlic various biologicnl and clicmical nicthods for thcir estimation and nss:iy. Tlic section on liormoncs by Jlius I<. Crihnnc and S. W. I?. Undcrhill, gives a pirticu1:irly lucid sumin:iry of thc statc of afkiirs in ii iiiost coniplcs Gcld : i t deals in pnrticulnr with tliyrosinc, arlrcnalinc, insulin, nnd mstrin. An intcrcsting and important chapter is thnt on tlic idcBntificntion of unknown woods itnd chnrconls by J. C . BIaby, w l~c l i introduccs 2 ncw science-wood iinirtoruy. In ncldition to i~ wealth of inforzmition, liitlicrto iiviiilablc to tlic cliciiiist only with diiiiculty, i t contains wliat is krnietl a hand-lens kcy to ISurolican woods, wliicli sliould usuitlly sunicc to Iciid to thcir idcutific:ition.

Tlic pectic substiinccs arc coinprchcnsively dealt with by li. W. Ihston : tlicir iiiiportancc in tlic fruit industries continiics to illcrease. Tlic work closes with II sliort iiitles to this volume and n long general subject iudex to tlic series prcpnretl by Ah. AI. l3. Elliott.

It would bc iingrucious not to iiiakc somc rcfercncc to the scrviccs of tlic editor of tliis edition, Blr. C. Ainsworth Jlitclicll, nnd to convcy to him tho apprccintion of tlic wry 1i1iiny uscw of it in tho laboratories of tlic I~riglisli-speakiiig ycoplc. I t is certain t l in t his task Iiiis iiot bccn II light one, but hc can bc happy in tlic knowlctlge tlint the cdificcs which hc h:is pltiniicd iirc Iiiippily serving tliiit grcat purposc, tlic progress of chcniicnl science. I<. F. A.

QUALITATIVE C‘iiE:mcduA ASALYSIS. By R. K. ,\lct\lpiuc, 1’Ii.D. itntl U. A. Soulc, Sc.D. lliiscd upon tlic tes t by A. JJ. l’rcscott and 0. C. Jolinyon. 1’1). s i i +- ti!)ti. London : Chapman

Tlic title of this Iwok is iin unclcrst;itciiicnt, for itlthough niucli of tlic siibjcct matter is directly conccriicd wit l i qiirilitiiti\~c iinillysis, tlicrc is alinost ns niucli tli;it is lmt t1escril)cil :is gcncrd inorganic riiitl pliysiciil c-Iirniistry. Tlic reiictiolis of ‘the clciiiciits rind iicitl riitlicles usiially iiiciitioned in

nsunlly discussed, w e trccited n t great lcngth. Tlicrc iirc ;dso rcfcrciiccs to tlic occurrciicc, prcpnrtition, iiiid pliysicd properties of these elcnicnts. I n nddition thcrc u c 130 piigcs on tlic tlicory of iiiiiilyticril clicniistry, including tlio law of iiiiiss nctioii, cliciiiical cquilibriuin, ionizntiou, solubility product riiitl siniiliir subjects. l ly thc tinic tlic student litis digested all tliis, niitl it is suggcstcd tliat it slioultl be studied from cover to covcr, lie iiitiy l i i r \ ~ lainit sonictliiug of gcncrnl clicniistry, but i t is to bc iloiilhd wlictlicr Iic will Iiiivc cstriictrd frorii tliis gtilrisy of fwts iiiuch t l i i i t will Iiclp liini in tlic practicc of qualitntiw iiunlysis. Eiwi RS R

fir irilii, N:N. m.

trutilyticiil tcstljooks, its \\.ell iis tliosc of X I I U I ~ not