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Inorganic isotopic synthesis
638
Book reviews
This use puts a p r e m i u m on sensitivity. (But there are intrinsic limits to sensitivity which the membership of the I.C.R.P. and other bodies do not always seem to be aware of.) (ii) H e r e is a device which makes possible studies of the normal and abnormal metabolism of numbers of elements and compounds in m a n without h a r m to the patient. But how to go about this? (iii) This is a most fascinating and powerful detector system; let us therefore develop every aspect o f i t a t o n c e ! Curiously, and delightfully F. W. Spiers in his introductory review reminds us of our c o m m o n tendency to acquire and use equipment far more elaborate than necessary for solving the problem at hand. Meneely's Radioactivity in Man* symposium (1960) contains papers contributed solely by U.S.A. research workers, whereas this I.A.E.A. volume is representative of current international ideas and activities in this field. Unfortunately, our colleagues from the iron curtain countries did not choose to present reports. I n any case, these two volumes taken together are an impressive record of rapid technological advances in very low-level counting and must be in the library of anyone who considers working in the field or even writing about it.
H. D. BRUNER * Radioactivity in Man, George R. Meneely (Ed.). Charles C. Thomas, Springfield, Ill. (1961).
50 pp. (L. Lindner); "Sulfur-35", 22 pp. (Rolfe H. H e r b e r ) ; "Radiochlorine", 12 pp. (B. J. Masters); "Iodine-137", 16 pp. (Milton Kahn). It can be seen that many of the commonly used stable and radioisotopes are included. The coverage would have been improved by a chapter on the inorganic compounds of carbon. T h e book cannot be considered a treatise on inorganic isotope synthesis since the isotopes of the heavier metals and non-metals have not been included. Instead it covers a carefully selected list of eight nuclides that find extensive use in research. The editors and the authors are to be commended for giving m a n y of the synthetic methods in sufficient detail for immediate use in the laboratory without reference to the literature. Although not all chapters are uniform in this respect, the procedures usually specify concise information with respect to weights, volumes, conditions and yields. W h e n the preparation involves some of the more complicated or unstable compounds with elaborate equipment, the method is discussed and reference is made to the literature where specific information can be obtained. T h e section on " G e n e r a l Procedures" is quite general in that it tells about the procedures instead of giving detailed instructions for typical measurements or methods. However, it includes a selection of good references which can be consulted for further details. There seems to be no doubt that this volume should be available to any research group interested in the use of stable or radioactive isotopes. T. I. TAYLOR
Inorg~nle Isotopic Synthesis, ROLFE H. HERBER (Ed.) W. A. Benjamin, Inc., New York, 1962, V I I + 249 pp. $7.50. ISOTOPICALLYlabeled compounds are used extensively in m a n y fields of research, and frequently by those not experienced in their preparation. Summaries of synthetic methods have been available for organic compounds and this volume now makes similar information available to those interested in isotopically labeled inorganic compounds of D, T, N 1~, 0 28, P, S35, C1, and 1TM. It not only gives procedures for m a n y of the important preparations but evaluates the relative merits of competitive methods and supplies over 900 references to the literature where further details can be obtained. T h e coverage of the field by the book is best summarized by the titles of its nine chapters: " G e n e r a l Procedures", 13 pp. (Seymour T. Zenchelsky); " I n o r g a n i c Deuterium Compounds", 50 pp. (Henry L. Crespi and Joseph J. Katz) ; "Syntheses with T r i t i u m " , 20 pp. (F. S. Rowland) ; "Nitrogen15", 45 pp. (W. Spindel); "Oxygen-18", 94 pp. (I. Dostrovsky and D. Samuel) ; "Radiophosphorus",
Technological Needs for Reduction of Patient Dosage From Diagnostic Radiology, Edited by MURRAY L. JANOWER. Charles C. Thomas, Springfield, Illinois, 1963. xviii + 339 pp. THE Medical Research Council's first report on The Hazards to Man of Nuclear and Allied Radiations (1956) gave an estimate of about 22 m r for the amount of radiation reaching the gonads of each m e m b e r of the population of this country per a n n u m as a result of diagnostic radiology. Lord Adrian's committee, reporting on a much wider survey m a d e in 1957, found the figure to be only about 14 mr. A table in the book under review specifies that in the U.S.A., with approximately the same n u m b e r of radiographic examination per capita per annum, the corresponding dose in 1955-56 may have been as high as 140 m r with a m i n i m u m about 50 mr. Moreover, the surveys on which these conclusions were reached were based on large hospitals and radiologists' practices, whereas--in New York City
Book reviews
This use puts a p r e m i u m on sensitivity. (But there are intrinsic limits to sensitivity which the membership of the I.C.R.P. and other bodies do not always seem to be aware of.) (ii) H e r e is a device which makes possible studies of the normal and abnormal metabolism of numbers of elements and compounds in m a n without h a r m to the patient. But how to go about this? (iii) This is a most fascinating and powerful detector system; let us therefore develop every aspect o f i t a t o n c e ! Curiously, and delightfully F. W. Spiers in his introductory review reminds us of our c o m m o n tendency to acquire and use equipment far more elaborate than necessary for solving the problem at hand. Meneely's Radioactivity in Man* symposium (1960) contains papers contributed solely by U.S.A. research workers, whereas this I.A.E.A. volume is representative of current international ideas and activities in this field. Unfortunately, our colleagues from the iron curtain countries did not choose to present reports. I n any case, these two volumes taken together are an impressive record of rapid technological advances in very low-level counting and must be in the library of anyone who considers working in the field or even writing about it.
H. D. BRUNER * Radioactivity in Man, George R. Meneely (Ed.). Charles C. Thomas, Springfield, Ill. (1961).
50 pp. (L. Lindner); "Sulfur-35", 22 pp. (Rolfe H. H e r b e r ) ; "Radiochlorine", 12 pp. (B. J. Masters); "Iodine-137", 16 pp. (Milton Kahn). It can be seen that many of the commonly used stable and radioisotopes are included. The coverage would have been improved by a chapter on the inorganic compounds of carbon. T h e book cannot be considered a treatise on inorganic isotope synthesis since the isotopes of the heavier metals and non-metals have not been included. Instead it covers a carefully selected list of eight nuclides that find extensive use in research. The editors and the authors are to be commended for giving m a n y of the synthetic methods in sufficient detail for immediate use in the laboratory without reference to the literature. Although not all chapters are uniform in this respect, the procedures usually specify concise information with respect to weights, volumes, conditions and yields. W h e n the preparation involves some of the more complicated or unstable compounds with elaborate equipment, the method is discussed and reference is made to the literature where specific information can be obtained. T h e section on " G e n e r a l Procedures" is quite general in that it tells about the procedures instead of giving detailed instructions for typical measurements or methods. However, it includes a selection of good references which can be consulted for further details. There seems to be no doubt that this volume should be available to any research group interested in the use of stable or radioactive isotopes. T. I. TAYLOR
Inorg~nle Isotopic Synthesis, ROLFE H. HERBER (Ed.) W. A. Benjamin, Inc., New York, 1962, V I I + 249 pp. $7.50. ISOTOPICALLYlabeled compounds are used extensively in m a n y fields of research, and frequently by those not experienced in their preparation. Summaries of synthetic methods have been available for organic compounds and this volume now makes similar information available to those interested in isotopically labeled inorganic compounds of D, T, N 1~, 0 28, P, S35, C1, and 1TM. It not only gives procedures for m a n y of the important preparations but evaluates the relative merits of competitive methods and supplies over 900 references to the literature where further details can be obtained. T h e coverage of the field by the book is best summarized by the titles of its nine chapters: " G e n e r a l Procedures", 13 pp. (Seymour T. Zenchelsky); " I n o r g a n i c Deuterium Compounds", 50 pp. (Henry L. Crespi and Joseph J. Katz) ; "Syntheses with T r i t i u m " , 20 pp. (F. S. Rowland) ; "Nitrogen15", 45 pp. (W. Spindel); "Oxygen-18", 94 pp. (I. Dostrovsky and D. Samuel) ; "Radiophosphorus",
Technological Needs for Reduction of Patient Dosage From Diagnostic Radiology, Edited by MURRAY L. JANOWER. Charles C. Thomas, Springfield, Illinois, 1963. xviii + 339 pp. THE Medical Research Council's first report on The Hazards to Man of Nuclear and Allied Radiations (1956) gave an estimate of about 22 m r for the amount of radiation reaching the gonads of each m e m b e r of the population of this country per a n n u m as a result of diagnostic radiology. Lord Adrian's committee, reporting on a much wider survey m a d e in 1957, found the figure to be only about 14 mr. A table in the book under review specifies that in the U.S.A., with approximately the same n u m b e r of radiographic examination per capita per annum, the corresponding dose in 1955-56 may have been as high as 140 m r with a m i n i m u m about 50 mr. Moreover, the surveys on which these conclusions were reached were based on large hospitals and radiologists' practices, whereas--in New York City