Genetics and Evolution by A. H. SturtevantReview by: Helen Unger MeyerThe American Biology Teacher, Vol. 24, No. 6 (Oct., 1962), pp. 452-453Published by: University of California Press on behalf of the National Association of BiologyTeachersStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/4440060 .

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ginning with a general discussion of genetics, Mendel, chromosomes, genes, Mendel's laws, but then the chapters appear which concern applications of genetics to humans, animals, and plants, and all interwoven carefully with many of the latest discoveries in the science. The nature of the gene, DNA, and evolution take up the concluding chapters. Only one minor note of criticism can be pointed out: diabetes is not "cured" by the taking of insulin.

There is a real wealth of detail of modern genetics in this book without a textbookish approach or dullness. Even chapter titles are intriguing, "Danger to Infants," "It's a Boy," etc. This is a book the reviewer can unhesitat- ingly recommend for general reading as well as reference for the biology student.

MEDICAL GENETICS 1958-1960, Victor A. Mc- Kusick, 534 pp., $14.50, C. V. Mosby Co., St. Louis, 1961. As the author indicates, this is a year by

year review of the important happenings, re- search reports, and case histories reported with- in the respective years. There is a formidable bibliography for each year, but the annotated, and even editorialized, reviews of each citation makes the book quite interesting and even quite useful for the student of genetics not in advanced work. Some of the author's re-

views are quite pointed with faint praise state- ments effectively indicating his opinion about some work. Other publications are reviewed as they pertain to this field.

The author indicates that this reads like a whole series of seminars as indeed reflects its origins. But the organization of the book with careful indexing, major topics and subtopics, makes it a vary useful reference. The wealth of reports of inheritance of traits in humans really makes this a fascinating book but one which stays well abreast of technical advances in other areas of genetic study. A good ref- erence, especially on the undergraduate level.

THE BASIC FACTS OF HUMAN HEREDITY, Amram Scheinfeld, 274 pp., $.60, Washington Square Press, Inc., New York, 1961. A revised and expanded version of a 1956

book. The author is well known for his You and Heredity and his popular articles on this subject. This one is illustrated with line draw- ings and some photographs. Readers of the author's other books will recognize a great many similarities, but it cannot be denied that it is a valuable handbook for the general citizen as well as the general reading shelf of the library. But the subject of human heredity has an intrinsic interest for student and teacher in the high school course, and texts do not take the subject up in any detail. Thus the book has a real value.

As usual, the author is unafraid to tackle ticklish subjects of social differences, inheri- tance of defects and intelligence, etc. However, this book has additional material on evolution. A recommended book for the library.

GENETICS AND EVOLUTION, A. H. Sturtevant, 334 pp., $7.50, W. H. Freeman and Company, San Francisco, California, 1961. Thirty-three articles by A. H. Sturtevant,

spanning the years from 1913 to 1956, have been collected in this volume to honor the great geneticist on the occasion of his seventieth birthday. The majority of these reprinted articles, selected and edited by E. B. Lewis, are detailed accounts of original research on Drosophila of various species; also included are several essays on evolution, and lucid interpre- tations of data obtained by others, in Limnea and in Oenothera. A complete list of Sturte- vant's publications until 1960 concludes the book.

The earlier articles belong to the period of exciting discoveries by the pioneer group of Drosophila workers in T. H. Morgan's labora- tory at Columbia. These deal with the evi- dence for the linear arrangement of genes; with linkage data, and chromosome mapping;

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with crossing-over, and the nature of cross- over reducers. In later papers we see how the challenge of apparent discrepancies and the awareness for the unusual has led Sturtevant to the very problems which are still in the center of present-day research. These include: Prob- lems of population genetics; the role of in- versions in evolution; position effects; non- random segregation of certain chromosomes at meiosis; possible biochemical pathways of gene action.

Sturtevant is a master of scientific writing- precise, brief, logical and immensely critical. Where new information has become available since the original paper was written, a short "Author's note, 1961" gives the present state of knowledge. To have these milestones of scientific discovery now gathered in one volume will be a most welcome gift to geneticists any- where.

Helen Unger MeIyer Department of Zoology Indiana University

TIME'S ARROW AND EVOLUTION, Harold F. Blum, $1.65, Harper Torchbook, (paperback), 1962, New York, Original Edition, Princeton Press. This book applies to living organisms the

idea of a relationship between time and the second law of thermodynamics which points the course of events to follow.

The evolution of the earth, for living organisms, provides a suitable environment for origin and maintenance of living systems. The origin of these living systems appears to be more of a problem than subsequent evolution which they undergo. The second law of thermo- dynamics contributed to the preceding and irreversible chemical evolution which made life possible. Evolution itself in living organ- isms depends on environmental changes and natural selection-the total effect of mutations are minimized.

Blum considers the earliest living organisms to be self duplicating machines in distinction to Oparin in his last two editions who uses the large molecule in a coacervate system as being the starting point of reduplication. Other- wise the beginnings of both authors up to this point are similar. In the final chapter of new material, Blum commits himself to the thesis that life and its evolution is a property of the planet Earth. Although biologists seem to be cautious about this idea, the current thinking of astronomers appears less conservative and restrictive on the subject of other planets where life may have evolved or exists.

In contradiction to Oparin's latest published opinion, Wiselogle, Associate Director in

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charge of Chemical Research, Squibb Institute for Medical Research, predicts that in a short time living systems will be put together in the laboratory. H. J. Muller thinks, on the basis of his definition of life, that this has already been accomplished.

James M. Sanders Science Department Chicago Teachers College

A SYNTHESIS OF EVOLUTIONARY THEORY, Herbert H. Ross, 387 pp., $7.50, Prentice-Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 1962. Indeed this as a "remarkable book" as the

publisher's dustjacket announces. In it the author attempts to show evolutionary theorv as it applies to cosmology, geology, origin of life (biochemical evolution), traditional theory with its foundation in genetics, and ecology. This is a panoramic sweep of evolutionary theory in its many aspects.

The book is quite attractive in format and liberally illustrated. As this reviewer read it, he could not help but think how very perti- nent it would be for BSCS teachers of all versions to have copies for teacher and student use. The BSCS concept of major themes is evident as one theme-evolution-is used to bind together a real complex of data. The author seems most at home in the ecology section, but one cannot criticize the excellent treatment

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