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A dictionary of life sciences
488
Book reviews
mine. In all these cases, except metronidazole, nirida- A Dictionary of Life Sciences. Edited by E. A. Martin. zole and phenobarbital sodium, for which collateral Macmillan Press Ltd., London, 1976. pp. 374. £5.95. data were obtained in hamsters or rats, the only evidence of carcinogenicity was generated in mouse Elsevier's Dictionary of Food Science and Technology. studies. Even so, no mention is made by the Working Compiled by I. D. Morton and C. Morton. Elsevier Group of reservations that have been expressed in Scientific Publishing Company, Amsterdam, 1977. pp. some quarters about the value of the mouse as a 207. D.fl 73.00. species for carcinogenicity testing. Toxicology is no respecter of disciplines. Not only are those involved directly in toxicological research Side Effects of Drugs Annual 2--1978. A Worldwide or consultancy obliged to view their problems from Yearly Survey of New Data and Trends. Edited by several different scientific angles, but they must be M. I'4. G. Dukes. Excerpta Medica, Amsterdam, 1978. prepared to understand and take into account the pp. xix+ 450. Dfl. 110.00. technological background to many of their investiga. lions. On the other side of the coin, the industrial The appearance of the second annual survey of the chemist or technologist concerned with the safety of adverse effects of drugs presents the opportunity for products or workers will inevitably become involved a few additional comments on this ambitious and far- with biological studies and their terminology. Add to reaching project. Thc volume named above, like its this the international connexions common to any predecessor published in 1977", complements Volume science and dictionaries of one sort and another are VIII of the well-known Meyler's Side Effects of Dru~s likely to come into their own. published in 1975 (Cited in F.C.T. 1977, 15, 241). Two ofthe more recent of a long line of such publiWhile revised editions of the latter, providing an over- cations are named above. The first encompasses the all review of the general situation relating to the major aspects of botany and zoology, fl'om anatomy adverse effects and interactions of drugs, are expected and physiology to genetics and ecology, together with to appear about every 3--4 years, the annual volumes some biochemistry, endocrinology, animal behaviour are intended to give a detailed and critical account and other more specialized branches of animal and of relevant new information that has appeared within plant study. The terminology of the applied biological a specified time. The first 'Annual' covered the field sciences, such as medicine and toxicology, is largely from January 1975, when the coverage of 'Meyler excluded: the seeker of granuloma, sarcoma, LDs0 VIII' terminated, to 31 July 1976. The second covered and Heinz bodies, must, quite rightly, look elsewhere, the period from 1 August 1976 to 31 July 1977, and but endoplasmic reticulum, oxidative phosphorylait is intended that volumes for succeeding years will tion, hyperplasia and autophagy are there, and within present information appearing over this range of its chosen field the book presents a set of generally months. The deadline is not rigid, however, and later clear definitions. These are backed in many cases by papers will be included where possible. explanatory diagrams and formulae, and in each The three indexes follow the same useful pattern explanation the existence of a separate entry for any in all three books, guiding readers to the contents of the terms used is clearly indicated. via the names of drugs or groups of compounds, their Obviously the specialist may disagree with some synonyms or the types of side effect produced. The aspects of the selection or with the extent or content chapters into which the text is divided are largely of individual items--but the book is not intended for the same in both Annuals, and readers familiar with him. Designed for students, teachers and science the 1977 edition will have no difficulty in finding their journalists, among others, it contains much that could way around its successor, since the chapters are be useful to the 'non-biological technologist' who arranged and numbered in the same way in both needs to follow the terminology of the many branches volumes. Two new contributions--on lithium com- of biology on which toxicology impinges. To those pounds and on drugs used in the management of gall- obliged to embark on such unfamiliar seas (perhaps stones--have been added in 1978, however. The help- the "variegated scientists" named in a recent ful system of coding references to indicate the type advertisement) this dictionary can hardly fail to be or extent of the information provided (detailed review, helpful. brief or detailed original clinical evidence and so on) The compilers of the second book named have prohas been continued in the latest volume. Moreover, vided the French, Spanish and German equivalents the cumulative indexing of the Annuals over each for a wide variety of nouns and some verbs used in 4-year period, at the end of which a revised edition the food and food-processing industries. The arrangeof'Meyler' is scheduled to appear, means that all the ment is simple. The first section consists of an alphainformation included on a given topic can be traced betical list of 2087 English words, each numbered and from only two indexes--those in the most recent edi- accompanied by the equivalent terms in the other tion of 'Meyler' and in the latest Annual. three languages, while in the following French, Altogether much thought about the practicalities Spanish and German sections each alphabetically of their use seems to have gone into these compila- listed word carries a number relating it to the English tions, as well as a great deal of information. and other equivalents to be found in the first section. Finally, for good measure, any Latin terms appearing *Side Effecls of Dru.qs Annual 1--1977. A Worldwide in the first (English) section are listed, with the releYearly Survey of New Data and Trends. Edited by vant numbers. While many of the terms included are M. N. G. Dukes. Excerpta Medica, Amsterdam, 1977. no doubt to be found in good French, German or pp. xvii + 420. Dfl. 100.00. Spanish chemical or even general dictionaries, there
Book reviews
mine. In all these cases, except metronidazole, nirida- A Dictionary of Life Sciences. Edited by E. A. Martin. zole and phenobarbital sodium, for which collateral Macmillan Press Ltd., London, 1976. pp. 374. £5.95. data were obtained in hamsters or rats, the only evidence of carcinogenicity was generated in mouse Elsevier's Dictionary of Food Science and Technology. studies. Even so, no mention is made by the Working Compiled by I. D. Morton and C. Morton. Elsevier Group of reservations that have been expressed in Scientific Publishing Company, Amsterdam, 1977. pp. some quarters about the value of the mouse as a 207. D.fl 73.00. species for carcinogenicity testing. Toxicology is no respecter of disciplines. Not only are those involved directly in toxicological research Side Effects of Drugs Annual 2--1978. A Worldwide or consultancy obliged to view their problems from Yearly Survey of New Data and Trends. Edited by several different scientific angles, but they must be M. I'4. G. Dukes. Excerpta Medica, Amsterdam, 1978. prepared to understand and take into account the pp. xix+ 450. Dfl. 110.00. technological background to many of their investiga. lions. On the other side of the coin, the industrial The appearance of the second annual survey of the chemist or technologist concerned with the safety of adverse effects of drugs presents the opportunity for products or workers will inevitably become involved a few additional comments on this ambitious and far- with biological studies and their terminology. Add to reaching project. Thc volume named above, like its this the international connexions common to any predecessor published in 1977", complements Volume science and dictionaries of one sort and another are VIII of the well-known Meyler's Side Effects of Dru~s likely to come into their own. published in 1975 (Cited in F.C.T. 1977, 15, 241). Two ofthe more recent of a long line of such publiWhile revised editions of the latter, providing an over- cations are named above. The first encompasses the all review of the general situation relating to the major aspects of botany and zoology, fl'om anatomy adverse effects and interactions of drugs, are expected and physiology to genetics and ecology, together with to appear about every 3--4 years, the annual volumes some biochemistry, endocrinology, animal behaviour are intended to give a detailed and critical account and other more specialized branches of animal and of relevant new information that has appeared within plant study. The terminology of the applied biological a specified time. The first 'Annual' covered the field sciences, such as medicine and toxicology, is largely from January 1975, when the coverage of 'Meyler excluded: the seeker of granuloma, sarcoma, LDs0 VIII' terminated, to 31 July 1976. The second covered and Heinz bodies, must, quite rightly, look elsewhere, the period from 1 August 1976 to 31 July 1977, and but endoplasmic reticulum, oxidative phosphorylait is intended that volumes for succeeding years will tion, hyperplasia and autophagy are there, and within present information appearing over this range of its chosen field the book presents a set of generally months. The deadline is not rigid, however, and later clear definitions. These are backed in many cases by papers will be included where possible. explanatory diagrams and formulae, and in each The three indexes follow the same useful pattern explanation the existence of a separate entry for any in all three books, guiding readers to the contents of the terms used is clearly indicated. via the names of drugs or groups of compounds, their Obviously the specialist may disagree with some synonyms or the types of side effect produced. The aspects of the selection or with the extent or content chapters into which the text is divided are largely of individual items--but the book is not intended for the same in both Annuals, and readers familiar with him. Designed for students, teachers and science the 1977 edition will have no difficulty in finding their journalists, among others, it contains much that could way around its successor, since the chapters are be useful to the 'non-biological technologist' who arranged and numbered in the same way in both needs to follow the terminology of the many branches volumes. Two new contributions--on lithium com- of biology on which toxicology impinges. To those pounds and on drugs used in the management of gall- obliged to embark on such unfamiliar seas (perhaps stones--have been added in 1978, however. The help- the "variegated scientists" named in a recent ful system of coding references to indicate the type advertisement) this dictionary can hardly fail to be or extent of the information provided (detailed review, helpful. brief or detailed original clinical evidence and so on) The compilers of the second book named have prohas been continued in the latest volume. Moreover, vided the French, Spanish and German equivalents the cumulative indexing of the Annuals over each for a wide variety of nouns and some verbs used in 4-year period, at the end of which a revised edition the food and food-processing industries. The arrangeof'Meyler' is scheduled to appear, means that all the ment is simple. The first section consists of an alphainformation included on a given topic can be traced betical list of 2087 English words, each numbered and from only two indexes--those in the most recent edi- accompanied by the equivalent terms in the other tion of 'Meyler' and in the latest Annual. three languages, while in the following French, Altogether much thought about the practicalities Spanish and German sections each alphabetically of their use seems to have gone into these compila- listed word carries a number relating it to the English tions, as well as a great deal of information. and other equivalents to be found in the first section. Finally, for good measure, any Latin terms appearing *Side Effecls of Dru.qs Annual 1--1977. A Worldwide in the first (English) section are listed, with the releYearly Survey of New Data and Trends. Edited by vant numbers. While many of the terms included are M. N. G. Dukes. Excerpta Medica, Amsterdam, 1977. no doubt to be found in good French, German or pp. xvii + 420. Dfl. 100.00. Spanish chemical or even general dictionaries, there