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A textbook of colloidal chemistry. By Harry B. Weiser. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, 2nd ed., 1949. × + 444 pp. 15 × 23 cm. Price $ 5.50
Book Reviews
Laboratory Manual for Principles and Processes of Pharmacy. By HENRY M. BURLAGE,JOSEPH B. BURT,and L. WAITRISING. McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York. 2nd ed., 1949. xvii 271 pp. 19 x 28 cm. Price $3. This is the usual laboratory manual designed t o be used in pharmacy courses in “principles and processes.” The first half of the book is a set of directions and the remainder consists of tear sheets t o be filled in by the student, concerning the operation in question. In general, the reviewer believes that this manual represents the approach desired by those who use the textbook this manual is designed t o accompany. The classical content of such courses will be found here. There are certain weaknesses, however. For example, the pharmaceutical literature of recent years is filled with evidence that prescription tolerances found in many pharmacies are far too broad. Many people believe that a portion of the blame for this state of affairs resides in the colleges. Unless the exercises on weighing and measuring in this book are greatly supplemented by the instructor, the critics may have justification for their beliefs. Many will question the section on osmotically balanced solutions for oversimplification. Although the authors are not as exact in their methods as a physical chemist would prefer them t o be, the reviewer believes that, relative t o the biological significance of these solutions, such simplification is desirable. I t is unfortunate, however, that the authors use -0.80’ as the factor for the freezing point of tears, since there is such mounting evidence that, osmotically, tears are substantially equivalent t o plasma.
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Development Schedule of New Drug Products. By PAUL DE HAEN. Romaine Pierson Publishers, Inc., New York, 1949. iv 121 pp. extra charts. 18 x 25.5 cm. Price $15. Product development is a highly complex form of research today, and forms the backbone of any industry-especially the drug industry. Product development is not merely a function of the research department as the more academic mind is inclined to believe, but it is a process in which research, control, production, sales, advertising, and the medical departments all must play a role. Because so many have a stake in product development, the whole procedure must be well integrated and each participant must be aware of the need for good timing. This book has been written to aid in bringing about such integration and timing. This is accomplished by the ingenious use of flow charts and work sheets t o enable each department to keep track of its position and t o guide the director of product development and/or the product development committee in keeping track of the over-all progress. Additional work sheets may be purchased from the publisher at $7.50 for a lot of 5 complete sets. Since there is considerable variation in plan of organization from one company t o another, the plans outlined here may have t o be modified for specific conditions. Naturally the mere following of such a scheme cannot guarantee a “miracle” product, but certainly such a systematic scheme tends t o promote efficiency. Many people in the drug field will find this t o be an interesting and stimulating book.
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Drug Plants of Africa. By THOMAS S. GITHENS. Dentistry i n Public Health. By WALTERJ. PELTON University of Pennsylvania Press, Philadelphia, 1948. vii and JACOB M. WISAN. W. B. Saunders Co., 125 pp. 13x 22 cm. Paper bound. Price $2.25. Philadelphia, 1949. xi 363 pp. 15 x 23 cm. Price $5.50. This booklet is a collation of information and Although public health dentistry has not grown facts, which the author discloses are misinformative, very rapidly during the past decades, today it must concerning African plants used in empirical medicine. be recognized that it has arrived. Since dental dis- The author has evidently sifted a great deal of data ease is one of the most widespread of all diseases, it in the preparation of this handbook and he is t o be is fitting that something should be done on a com- congratulated on the care he has given the compilamunity basis. tion. Much of the data presented in this booklet are in Since the field of dental health cuts across so many health fields, each chapter of this book was convenient tables. Table I is a table of exports from Africa. Unforwritten by someone well qualified t o develop its tunately too much of the data is very old, some of it subject matter. The first few chapters of the book deal with back- covering the 19th century. Tables I1 and I11 deal ground and delineation of the problem. This is with imports from Africa into the United States and followed by chapters on the tools for attacking the England. An unnumbered table of synonyms follows. A series of tables covering several pages gives problem and, lastly, application of the tools. The book was written with the full cooperation of the African drugs in terms of alleged medical properthe American Public Health Association, and the ties and other tables give the plant name, geoExecutive Secretary of this organization wrote the graphic region, plant part, “active” principle, anduse. foreword. The book is intended as a text for Nearly three pages of selected bibliography close the book. This is No. 8 in a series of African handbooks. students of dentistry.
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Laboratory Manual for Principles and Processes of Pharmacy. By HENRY M. BURLAGE,JOSEPH B. BURT,and L. WAITRISING. McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York. 2nd ed., 1949. xvii 271 pp. 19 x 28 cm. Price $3. This is the usual laboratory manual designed t o be used in pharmacy courses in “principles and processes.” The first half of the book is a set of directions and the remainder consists of tear sheets t o be filled in by the student, concerning the operation in question. In general, the reviewer believes that this manual represents the approach desired by those who use the textbook this manual is designed t o accompany. The classical content of such courses will be found here. There are certain weaknesses, however. For example, the pharmaceutical literature of recent years is filled with evidence that prescription tolerances found in many pharmacies are far too broad. Many people believe that a portion of the blame for this state of affairs resides in the colleges. Unless the exercises on weighing and measuring in this book are greatly supplemented by the instructor, the critics may have justification for their beliefs. Many will question the section on osmotically balanced solutions for oversimplification. Although the authors are not as exact in their methods as a physical chemist would prefer them t o be, the reviewer believes that, relative t o the biological significance of these solutions, such simplification is desirable. I t is unfortunate, however, that the authors use -0.80’ as the factor for the freezing point of tears, since there is such mounting evidence that, osmotically, tears are substantially equivalent t o plasma.
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Development Schedule of New Drug Products. By PAUL DE HAEN. Romaine Pierson Publishers, Inc., New York, 1949. iv 121 pp. extra charts. 18 x 25.5 cm. Price $15. Product development is a highly complex form of research today, and forms the backbone of any industry-especially the drug industry. Product development is not merely a function of the research department as the more academic mind is inclined to believe, but it is a process in which research, control, production, sales, advertising, and the medical departments all must play a role. Because so many have a stake in product development, the whole procedure must be well integrated and each participant must be aware of the need for good timing. This book has been written to aid in bringing about such integration and timing. This is accomplished by the ingenious use of flow charts and work sheets t o enable each department to keep track of its position and t o guide the director of product development and/or the product development committee in keeping track of the over-all progress. Additional work sheets may be purchased from the publisher at $7.50 for a lot of 5 complete sets. Since there is considerable variation in plan of organization from one company t o another, the plans outlined here may have t o be modified for specific conditions. Naturally the mere following of such a scheme cannot guarantee a “miracle” product, but certainly such a systematic scheme tends t o promote efficiency. Many people in the drug field will find this t o be an interesting and stimulating book.
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Drug Plants of Africa. By THOMAS S. GITHENS. Dentistry i n Public Health. By WALTERJ. PELTON University of Pennsylvania Press, Philadelphia, 1948. vii and JACOB M. WISAN. W. B. Saunders Co., 125 pp. 13x 22 cm. Paper bound. Price $2.25. Philadelphia, 1949. xi 363 pp. 15 x 23 cm. Price $5.50. This booklet is a collation of information and Although public health dentistry has not grown facts, which the author discloses are misinformative, very rapidly during the past decades, today it must concerning African plants used in empirical medicine. be recognized that it has arrived. Since dental dis- The author has evidently sifted a great deal of data ease is one of the most widespread of all diseases, it in the preparation of this handbook and he is t o be is fitting that something should be done on a com- congratulated on the care he has given the compilamunity basis. tion. Much of the data presented in this booklet are in Since the field of dental health cuts across so many health fields, each chapter of this book was convenient tables. Table I is a table of exports from Africa. Unforwritten by someone well qualified t o develop its tunately too much of the data is very old, some of it subject matter. The first few chapters of the book deal with back- covering the 19th century. Tables I1 and I11 deal ground and delineation of the problem. This is with imports from Africa into the United States and followed by chapters on the tools for attacking the England. An unnumbered table of synonyms follows. A series of tables covering several pages gives problem and, lastly, application of the tools. The book was written with the full cooperation of the African drugs in terms of alleged medical properthe American Public Health Association, and the ties and other tables give the plant name, geoExecutive Secretary of this organization wrote the graphic region, plant part, “active” principle, anduse. foreword. The book is intended as a text for Nearly three pages of selected bibliography close the book. This is No. 8 in a series of African handbooks. students of dentistry.
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621