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Methoden der organischen chemie (Houben-Weyl). Fourth revised edition
322
BOOK
important aspects of the clinical pathology of the proteins and endeavors to guide the student and practitioner through the complexities of the everincreasing number of new proteins. The book is not intended for the research worker in clinical medicine and cannot be recommended to those well acquainted with the basic facts, as the summary account of protein changes in disease is too sketchy to be of much help. If a word of criticism may be allowed here, it is very irritating to be told in the text that a matter has been discussed elsewhere without being given a reference to either chapter or page. The table of scientific data on page 12 might well have been omitted in a book of this size. On the whole, however, the author has achieved what he set himself out to do, namely to whet the reader’s appetite for further knowledge. The bibliography, unfortunately, is neither well chosen nor a good guide to student reading. These admittedly are minor criticisms and they will no doubt be considered in the event of a second edition. We certainly need a short introductory book to the chemical pathology of the plasma proteins, and, in this respect, Dr. Weil’s book fills a long-felt gap. The students will welcome this addition to the medical literature. E. KAWERAU, London,
England
Nutrition of the Legumes. Edited by E. G. HALLSWORTH, Professor of Agricultural Chemistry, The University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonnington, Loughborough, England. Academic Press, New York, N. Y., 1959. x + 380 pp. Price $10.59. This volume records the proceedings of the fifth Easter School in Agricultural Science of the University of Nottingham, England, held in the summer of 1958, and contains 24 classified papers covering many aspects of its subject. The discussions following the papers are also recorded and descriptions given of a series of demonstrations. The papers range from the purely taxonomic both with respect to the family Leguminosae and the rhizobia associated with their root nodules. The legume-rhizobia symbiosis directly forms the subject of nearly half the papers; but the mineral nutrition of the legumes is also considered in its wider aspects. One contribution deals with symbiotic nitrogen fixation by nonleguminous angiosperms and is presumably included to keep the matter in perspective. One hundred and ninety species, all either trees or shrubs, are implicated. Some attention is also given to the amino acid metabolism and translocation in legumes, and finally there is a section of short papers on field
REVIEWS
experiments with legume species. The whole ~011. stitutes a valuable record of recent work in this scientifically and agriculturally important field contributed by active workers in it. W. 0. JAMES, London,
England
Methoden der Organischen Chemie (HoubenWeyl). Fourth revised edition. Compiled by EuGEN MUELLER. Vol. I. Part 2: General Laboratory Methods. Georg Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart, 1959. xlviii f 1017 pp. Price, bound $46.65. Volume I, part 1 was reviewed in Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 75,547 (1958). The first part of the present section deals with the methods of disintegration and distribution. The next, chapter of general laboratory methods contains the description of all those procedures which are not usual for the organic chemist, but in the meantime without the knowledge of which he cannot operate successfully: e.g., operations under exclusion of air and moisture, as well as under high pressure. Operations in vucuo and under low pressures are also dealt with in detail. The last comprehensive chapter is devoted to the description of methods of heating and cooling, as well as measuring, recording, and controlling of temperatures. In the third chapter of this part are described the auxiliary substances of laboratory operations, e.g., organic solvents and especially their purification. In the subsequent section the application of siccatives is described. The concluding chapter deals with the prevention of accidents and refers to cancerogenic substances. The indexes cover 75 pages. F. F. NORD, New York,
New York
Connective Tissue, Thrombosis and Atherosclerosis. Proceedings of a Conference held at Princeton, New Jersey, May 12-14, 1958. Edited by IRVINE H. PAGE. Academic Press Inc., New York, N. Y., 1959. 316 pp. Price $9.50. The selection of these seemingly unrelated topics reflects an awareness of the need for research related to the tissue factors underlying degenerative vascular diseases. A heterogeneous group of outstanding investigators representing anatomy, biology, biochemistry, physical chemistry and immunochemistry, pathology, physiology, and medicine contributed to the discussions which provide substance for new and refreshing approaches to the study of the aging process. Discussion embodied three general subjects: 1. Morphologic changes in the artery: aging
BOOK
important aspects of the clinical pathology of the proteins and endeavors to guide the student and practitioner through the complexities of the everincreasing number of new proteins. The book is not intended for the research worker in clinical medicine and cannot be recommended to those well acquainted with the basic facts, as the summary account of protein changes in disease is too sketchy to be of much help. If a word of criticism may be allowed here, it is very irritating to be told in the text that a matter has been discussed elsewhere without being given a reference to either chapter or page. The table of scientific data on page 12 might well have been omitted in a book of this size. On the whole, however, the author has achieved what he set himself out to do, namely to whet the reader’s appetite for further knowledge. The bibliography, unfortunately, is neither well chosen nor a good guide to student reading. These admittedly are minor criticisms and they will no doubt be considered in the event of a second edition. We certainly need a short introductory book to the chemical pathology of the plasma proteins, and, in this respect, Dr. Weil’s book fills a long-felt gap. The students will welcome this addition to the medical literature. E. KAWERAU, London,
England
Nutrition of the Legumes. Edited by E. G. HALLSWORTH, Professor of Agricultural Chemistry, The University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonnington, Loughborough, England. Academic Press, New York, N. Y., 1959. x + 380 pp. Price $10.59. This volume records the proceedings of the fifth Easter School in Agricultural Science of the University of Nottingham, England, held in the summer of 1958, and contains 24 classified papers covering many aspects of its subject. The discussions following the papers are also recorded and descriptions given of a series of demonstrations. The papers range from the purely taxonomic both with respect to the family Leguminosae and the rhizobia associated with their root nodules. The legume-rhizobia symbiosis directly forms the subject of nearly half the papers; but the mineral nutrition of the legumes is also considered in its wider aspects. One contribution deals with symbiotic nitrogen fixation by nonleguminous angiosperms and is presumably included to keep the matter in perspective. One hundred and ninety species, all either trees or shrubs, are implicated. Some attention is also given to the amino acid metabolism and translocation in legumes, and finally there is a section of short papers on field
REVIEWS
experiments with legume species. The whole ~011. stitutes a valuable record of recent work in this scientifically and agriculturally important field contributed by active workers in it. W. 0. JAMES, London,
England
Methoden der Organischen Chemie (HoubenWeyl). Fourth revised edition. Compiled by EuGEN MUELLER. Vol. I. Part 2: General Laboratory Methods. Georg Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart, 1959. xlviii f 1017 pp. Price, bound $46.65. Volume I, part 1 was reviewed in Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 75,547 (1958). The first part of the present section deals with the methods of disintegration and distribution. The next, chapter of general laboratory methods contains the description of all those procedures which are not usual for the organic chemist, but in the meantime without the knowledge of which he cannot operate successfully: e.g., operations under exclusion of air and moisture, as well as under high pressure. Operations in vucuo and under low pressures are also dealt with in detail. The last comprehensive chapter is devoted to the description of methods of heating and cooling, as well as measuring, recording, and controlling of temperatures. In the third chapter of this part are described the auxiliary substances of laboratory operations, e.g., organic solvents and especially their purification. In the subsequent section the application of siccatives is described. The concluding chapter deals with the prevention of accidents and refers to cancerogenic substances. The indexes cover 75 pages. F. F. NORD, New York,
New York
Connective Tissue, Thrombosis and Atherosclerosis. Proceedings of a Conference held at Princeton, New Jersey, May 12-14, 1958. Edited by IRVINE H. PAGE. Academic Press Inc., New York, N. Y., 1959. 316 pp. Price $9.50. The selection of these seemingly unrelated topics reflects an awareness of the need for research related to the tissue factors underlying degenerative vascular diseases. A heterogeneous group of outstanding investigators representing anatomy, biology, biochemistry, physical chemistry and immunochemistry, pathology, physiology, and medicine contributed to the discussions which provide substance for new and refreshing approaches to the study of the aging process. Discussion embodied three general subjects: 1. Morphologic changes in the artery: aging