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Biological standardization
Book Reviews Adrenal Cortex. Edited Medicine. Published by 189 pp. Price $2.00.
by ELAINE Josiah Macy,
P. RALLI, New Jr., Foundation,
York University New York,
N.
College of I’., 1950.
This volume comprises the transactions of a conference sponsored by the Josiah bIacy, Jr., Foundation on November 21-22, 1949. The purpose of the conference as outlined in the “Introduction” by the chairman, C. N. H. Long, was to consider the physiology and biochemistry of the adrenal cortex in the light of the then recently discovered effects of cortisone and adrenocorticotropic hormone in rheumatoid arthritis and related clinical conditions by Hench, Kendall, and their coworkers at the Mayo Clinic. The discussions are presented in five chapters representing five facets of the general problem, namely, “Relation of Chemical Structure of Adrenal Cortical Hormones to Biological Activity, ” “Regulation of Adrenal Cortical Secretion, ” “Clinical Studies with Cortisone and ACTH, ” “Steroid Metabolism in the Adrenal Cortex,” and “Relation of Vitamins to Adrenal Cortical Function.” These topics are opened with brief summaries by Kendall, Pincus, Loeb, Bloch, and Ralli, respectively. Participants are Bauer, Conn, Gellhorn, Ingle, Pitts, Sayers, Selye, Thorn, White, and Fremont-Smith. The book appears to be essentially a t.ranscript of a shorthand record of the meetings. Occasional references are inserted. Since the stated purpose of presenting a verbatim report is to allow a wider group of investigators and students to share in the spirit of the discussions, it is unfortunate that the transactions could not be made available more promptly, even though in a less elegantly printed form. The reader versed in adrenal cortical physiology will enjoy the book for its emphasis and viewpoints on many unsolved problems. The reader without such a background will no doubt join with one of the participants who on p. 33 asks “whether the kinds of statements that have come out of this meeting could not be tabulated.” By its nature the book has little permanent reference value. J. J. PFIFFNER, Detroit, hlichigan Biological Standardization. 2nd Ed. Oxford University $6.75.
By J. H. BURN, D. J. FINNEY, Press, London, New Pork, Toronto,
and L. G. GOODWIN. 1950. 440 pp. Price
Professor Burn explains in the preface to this book t,hat he is aware of the tremendous developments along the line of statistical analyses as applied to biological assays, and for this reason he has included in the book a long chapter on statistical analysis, comprising 150 pages, making up a little more than one-third of t.he entire book. This chapter was written by Professor D. J. Finney, who is Lecturer in the Design and Analysis of Scientific Experiments at the University of Oxford. While it was hoped that the chapter on statistical analysis would have been written in a form 241
242
BOOK
REVIEWS
simple enough to be readily understood by the average person making use of the book, it is believed that it fails in this purpose. The contents of the chapter are excellent, but it requires a broad background in mathematics and statistical analysis before it can be readily understood, let us say, by the average person working on pharmacological assays. On the other hand, very valuable phases of statistics are covered which would at least provide a lead for anyone ambitious enough to want to delve into the mathematics and statistics relating to a more exact interpretation of some of the results of the tests. The trend in this direction is unmistakable, and even comparatively simple tests, such as those on digitalis, curare, etc., are now interpreted by rather involved statistical and mathematical formulas. The remaining 22 chapters of the book cover individually .the testing of equal numbers of pharmacologically and biologically active materials, including glandular substances such as pituitary, insulin, sex hormones, etc., antipyretics and analgesics, digitalis and related products, local anesthetics, curare-like compounds, and finally a group of trypanocidal substances and antimalarial drugs. The tests described are, as far as can be determined, up-todate methods. A particularly valuable phase of each chapter covering individual drugs is a description of the standards which are used and their derivation. Furthermore, in each such chapter there is a supplementary treatment of the statistical method as applied in the interpretation of the test results. The book is well documented by up-to-date references and has a large number of illustrations, charts, and tables. Because of the great amount of up-to-date information and the great variety of materials covered, this book should prove to be very useful to industrial organizations dealing with products of a pharmaceutical character and can be recommended highly to the control laboratories of such companies. This book should also appeal to those in academic institutions not only because of the immense amount of pharmacological data but also because it should provide a starting place for many worth-while pharmacologic research projects. E. C. KLEIDERER, Indianopolis, Indiana The Integument of Arthropods. By A. GLENN RICHARDS, Professor, Division of Entomology and Economic Zoology, and Department of Zoology, University of Minnesota. University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, Minn., 1951. xvi + 411 pp. Price $6.69. The subjects discussed include the chemical composition; structure, both microscopic and ultramicroscopic; and physical properties, particularly permeability both to water and to poisons. The structure of special parts such as muscle insertions, wing membranes, tracheal linings, sense organs, scales, hairs, and glands is treated in detail, as well as the process of molting and the secretion of the new cuticle. The bibliography is very complete, and covers every important recent paper up to the end of 1949, with a few from 1950. The index is a model of its kind, and has full titles of all original papers, as well as cross references to the text. No very novel hypotheses or points of view are suggested; the author is concerned more with taking stock of existing knowledge than with putting forward new ideas. But the stock-taking is admirably done; every method used is critically examined, and where an author has written nonsense we are told so in plain terms. The section dealing with Professor Richards’ own special interests is perhaps the best in the book;
by ELAINE Josiah Macy,
P. RALLI, New Jr., Foundation,
York University New York,
N.
College of I’., 1950.
This volume comprises the transactions of a conference sponsored by the Josiah bIacy, Jr., Foundation on November 21-22, 1949. The purpose of the conference as outlined in the “Introduction” by the chairman, C. N. H. Long, was to consider the physiology and biochemistry of the adrenal cortex in the light of the then recently discovered effects of cortisone and adrenocorticotropic hormone in rheumatoid arthritis and related clinical conditions by Hench, Kendall, and their coworkers at the Mayo Clinic. The discussions are presented in five chapters representing five facets of the general problem, namely, “Relation of Chemical Structure of Adrenal Cortical Hormones to Biological Activity, ” “Regulation of Adrenal Cortical Secretion, ” “Clinical Studies with Cortisone and ACTH, ” “Steroid Metabolism in the Adrenal Cortex,” and “Relation of Vitamins to Adrenal Cortical Function.” These topics are opened with brief summaries by Kendall, Pincus, Loeb, Bloch, and Ralli, respectively. Participants are Bauer, Conn, Gellhorn, Ingle, Pitts, Sayers, Selye, Thorn, White, and Fremont-Smith. The book appears to be essentially a t.ranscript of a shorthand record of the meetings. Occasional references are inserted. Since the stated purpose of presenting a verbatim report is to allow a wider group of investigators and students to share in the spirit of the discussions, it is unfortunate that the transactions could not be made available more promptly, even though in a less elegantly printed form. The reader versed in adrenal cortical physiology will enjoy the book for its emphasis and viewpoints on many unsolved problems. The reader without such a background will no doubt join with one of the participants who on p. 33 asks “whether the kinds of statements that have come out of this meeting could not be tabulated.” By its nature the book has little permanent reference value. J. J. PFIFFNER, Detroit, hlichigan Biological Standardization. 2nd Ed. Oxford University $6.75.
By J. H. BURN, D. J. FINNEY, Press, London, New Pork, Toronto,
and L. G. GOODWIN. 1950. 440 pp. Price
Professor Burn explains in the preface to this book t,hat he is aware of the tremendous developments along the line of statistical analyses as applied to biological assays, and for this reason he has included in the book a long chapter on statistical analysis, comprising 150 pages, making up a little more than one-third of t.he entire book. This chapter was written by Professor D. J. Finney, who is Lecturer in the Design and Analysis of Scientific Experiments at the University of Oxford. While it was hoped that the chapter on statistical analysis would have been written in a form 241
242
BOOK
REVIEWS
simple enough to be readily understood by the average person making use of the book, it is believed that it fails in this purpose. The contents of the chapter are excellent, but it requires a broad background in mathematics and statistical analysis before it can be readily understood, let us say, by the average person working on pharmacological assays. On the other hand, very valuable phases of statistics are covered which would at least provide a lead for anyone ambitious enough to want to delve into the mathematics and statistics relating to a more exact interpretation of some of the results of the tests. The trend in this direction is unmistakable, and even comparatively simple tests, such as those on digitalis, curare, etc., are now interpreted by rather involved statistical and mathematical formulas. The remaining 22 chapters of the book cover individually .the testing of equal numbers of pharmacologically and biologically active materials, including glandular substances such as pituitary, insulin, sex hormones, etc., antipyretics and analgesics, digitalis and related products, local anesthetics, curare-like compounds, and finally a group of trypanocidal substances and antimalarial drugs. The tests described are, as far as can be determined, up-todate methods. A particularly valuable phase of each chapter covering individual drugs is a description of the standards which are used and their derivation. Furthermore, in each such chapter there is a supplementary treatment of the statistical method as applied in the interpretation of the test results. The book is well documented by up-to-date references and has a large number of illustrations, charts, and tables. Because of the great amount of up-to-date information and the great variety of materials covered, this book should prove to be very useful to industrial organizations dealing with products of a pharmaceutical character and can be recommended highly to the control laboratories of such companies. This book should also appeal to those in academic institutions not only because of the immense amount of pharmacological data but also because it should provide a starting place for many worth-while pharmacologic research projects. E. C. KLEIDERER, Indianopolis, Indiana The Integument of Arthropods. By A. GLENN RICHARDS, Professor, Division of Entomology and Economic Zoology, and Department of Zoology, University of Minnesota. University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, Minn., 1951. xvi + 411 pp. Price $6.69. The subjects discussed include the chemical composition; structure, both microscopic and ultramicroscopic; and physical properties, particularly permeability both to water and to poisons. The structure of special parts such as muscle insertions, wing membranes, tracheal linings, sense organs, scales, hairs, and glands is treated in detail, as well as the process of molting and the secretion of the new cuticle. The bibliography is very complete, and covers every important recent paper up to the end of 1949, with a few from 1950. The index is a model of its kind, and has full titles of all original papers, as well as cross references to the text. No very novel hypotheses or points of view are suggested; the author is concerned more with taking stock of existing knowledge than with putting forward new ideas. But the stock-taking is admirably done; every method used is critically examined, and where an author has written nonsense we are told so in plain terms. The section dealing with Professor Richards’ own special interests is perhaps the best in the book;