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Practical Particles
S E X BIOLOGY SPREADS
Sex Determination F. A . E. Crew, F.R.S. (London,Methuen & Co. Ltd., 1965, 188 pp.,
211-)
Modem genetics is ramified into so many special branches that no general textbook or lecture course can do even approximate justice to all of them. More and more lecturers of genetics have to refer students to additional texts on specialised subjects. Such a text has to fulfil certain requirements. Although a basic knowledge of genetics and cytology may be presupposed, the special topic of the book should be developed clearly from fundamental principles. While the reader should not be bogged down in masses of detail, he should be introduced to all relevant concepts, and these should be illustrated by suitable examples. Finally, the writing should be lucid and attractive, so that the supplementary reading becomes a pleasurable task for the student. The present book, the fourth edition of one first published in 1933, fulfils all these requirements admirably well and will be appreciated by all teachers of genetics to whom their subject means more than an appendix to biochemistry. The author deals with the mechanisms of sex-determination in various phyla and species ; with sex abnormalities due to malfunctioning of one of these mechanisms ; with sex-linkage and parthenogenesis ; with sexual and pseudosexual mechanisms in micro-organisms including bacteria and bacteriophages. In the concluding chapter he speculates on the evolution of sex-determining mechanisms. Readers of this journal will be particularly interested in the recent discoveries of cytological correlates for many abnormal sex types in man. The rapid expansion in the field of sex biology during the last decade is reflected in the expansion of the text to almost twice its size since its previous edition in 1954 and in the growth of the bibliography from 144 to almost 1,000 items. An extensive glossary and full author and subjects indices form valuable parts of the book. Charlotte Auerbach PRACTICAL PARTICLES
Activation Analysis : Principles and Applications J . M . A. Lenihan and S . J . Thomson (Ed.) (London,Academic Press Ltd., 1965, 21 1 fip. 551-) I n principle activation analysis is straightforward. A sample is irradiated with the nuclear particles produced in, for example, a nuclear reactor and most of the elements present give rise to radionuclides. These can be identified by the measurement of several independent nuclear properties, such as half life ; and the quantities can be determined by comparison with control samples. For the forensic scientist perhaps the greatest benefit of this book will be the way in which the contributors show the need for care in using the technique, where errors can arise, how mishandling of material prior to irradiation may be fatal to success, and how such disasters may be avoided. The book consists of reports of the lectures delivered during the N.A.T.O. Advanced Study Institute, held in Glasgow in 1964, together with the detailed instructions for the laboratory exercises. Half of the book, fifteen lectures, is devoted to the relevant parts of radioactivity and particle counting and to the principles of activation analysis. This is directed at those who might actually perform activation analysis, and is more than enough to prepare the less specialised reader for the fifty pages on its applications. These include a short but vivid lecture on forensic work. The scope for activation analysis in forensic science is considerable. As a technique of analysis of biological specimens, for instance, the method is, for over half the elements, far more sensitive than any other. An outstanding example of this is arsenic where the gain in sensitivity is one million. 209
The book is not, perhaps, one which a forensic scientist should keep near hinl for instant reference, but it would be useful to read it in case, one day, it is necessary to use activation analysis because of its sensitivity and its nondestructiveness. If the scientist has not read this book he may find himself defeated because he cut the specimen with an unwisely chosen knife or added heparin to the blood sample. A. E. Hawkins BENEATH T H E RED LAMP
Basic Police Photography (Eastman Kodak Co., U.S.A., 1964, 80 pp., $1.50 ( I I S . 3d.)) This book describes ways in which the forensic pliotographer can record matters of evidential value as aids to the investigator and the judiciary. Although intended primarily for the American police officer, the general principles outlined are universally adopted. Providing the reader has a basic knowledge of the fundamentals of photography much useful advice is given with regard to all aspects of police photography. Scene of crime work, fingerprint photography and document examination are dealt with. Conventional as well as ultra violet, infrared and infrared luminescence techniques are given. Guidance and formulae for perspective, correct size and viewing distance of prints are also given together with useful information on presentation of photographic evidence. The book is undoubtedly one which police photographers will appreciate. A. Chapman ONE OF THE DROWSY SYRUPS
L'Intoxication Digitalique Massive M . Potter, J. Vedrinne, L. Perrot and R. Restoy ( M a s s o n and Cie., Paris, 1964 ; Price not quoted) This book consists of 137 pages followed by 16 pages of references. I t is divided into four chapters describing the action of digitalis overdosage. There are only a few pages on analytical technique and these are concerned with crude colour reactions and with the frog biological assay. The book is written in French. I t is obviously a "must" for clinician and pharmacologist interested in the use and action of digitalis. A. S. Curry, D. E. Price
BANE O F A BOON
Reprography and the Copyright Law E d . L. H . Hattery and G. P. B u s h . American Institute of Biological Sciences, Washington, D.C., 195 pages and index ( N o price stated) Since not everyone may be familiar with the neologism it should be explained that reprography is copying by pliotographic and other modern methods, and covers a field in which recent technical progress is considerable. This book records in readable form the papers contributed to a symposium held in 1963 by The American University to investigate copying problems affecting the communication of educational and scientific information. The multiplication of cheap reliable means of copying printed material has produced a clash with copyright law and a steady and widespread infringement of authors' rights somewhat comparable to that which occurred early in the century when radio and recorded distribution of music and lyrics became widespread and necessitated formation of an agency for protection of these rights. The problem is caused by the increasing facilities for cheap copying rather than the diminishing effectiveness of the protection afforded by law. Though less marked in the United Kingdom, the same problem exists and may shortly become acute. a10
Sex Determination F. A . E. Crew, F.R.S. (London,Methuen & Co. Ltd., 1965, 188 pp.,
211-)
Modem genetics is ramified into so many special branches that no general textbook or lecture course can do even approximate justice to all of them. More and more lecturers of genetics have to refer students to additional texts on specialised subjects. Such a text has to fulfil certain requirements. Although a basic knowledge of genetics and cytology may be presupposed, the special topic of the book should be developed clearly from fundamental principles. While the reader should not be bogged down in masses of detail, he should be introduced to all relevant concepts, and these should be illustrated by suitable examples. Finally, the writing should be lucid and attractive, so that the supplementary reading becomes a pleasurable task for the student. The present book, the fourth edition of one first published in 1933, fulfils all these requirements admirably well and will be appreciated by all teachers of genetics to whom their subject means more than an appendix to biochemistry. The author deals with the mechanisms of sex-determination in various phyla and species ; with sex abnormalities due to malfunctioning of one of these mechanisms ; with sex-linkage and parthenogenesis ; with sexual and pseudosexual mechanisms in micro-organisms including bacteria and bacteriophages. In the concluding chapter he speculates on the evolution of sex-determining mechanisms. Readers of this journal will be particularly interested in the recent discoveries of cytological correlates for many abnormal sex types in man. The rapid expansion in the field of sex biology during the last decade is reflected in the expansion of the text to almost twice its size since its previous edition in 1954 and in the growth of the bibliography from 144 to almost 1,000 items. An extensive glossary and full author and subjects indices form valuable parts of the book. Charlotte Auerbach PRACTICAL PARTICLES
Activation Analysis : Principles and Applications J . M . A. Lenihan and S . J . Thomson (Ed.) (London,Academic Press Ltd., 1965, 21 1 fip. 551-) I n principle activation analysis is straightforward. A sample is irradiated with the nuclear particles produced in, for example, a nuclear reactor and most of the elements present give rise to radionuclides. These can be identified by the measurement of several independent nuclear properties, such as half life ; and the quantities can be determined by comparison with control samples. For the forensic scientist perhaps the greatest benefit of this book will be the way in which the contributors show the need for care in using the technique, where errors can arise, how mishandling of material prior to irradiation may be fatal to success, and how such disasters may be avoided. The book consists of reports of the lectures delivered during the N.A.T.O. Advanced Study Institute, held in Glasgow in 1964, together with the detailed instructions for the laboratory exercises. Half of the book, fifteen lectures, is devoted to the relevant parts of radioactivity and particle counting and to the principles of activation analysis. This is directed at those who might actually perform activation analysis, and is more than enough to prepare the less specialised reader for the fifty pages on its applications. These include a short but vivid lecture on forensic work. The scope for activation analysis in forensic science is considerable. As a technique of analysis of biological specimens, for instance, the method is, for over half the elements, far more sensitive than any other. An outstanding example of this is arsenic where the gain in sensitivity is one million. 209
The book is not, perhaps, one which a forensic scientist should keep near hinl for instant reference, but it would be useful to read it in case, one day, it is necessary to use activation analysis because of its sensitivity and its nondestructiveness. If the scientist has not read this book he may find himself defeated because he cut the specimen with an unwisely chosen knife or added heparin to the blood sample. A. E. Hawkins BENEATH T H E RED LAMP
Basic Police Photography (Eastman Kodak Co., U.S.A., 1964, 80 pp., $1.50 ( I I S . 3d.)) This book describes ways in which the forensic pliotographer can record matters of evidential value as aids to the investigator and the judiciary. Although intended primarily for the American police officer, the general principles outlined are universally adopted. Providing the reader has a basic knowledge of the fundamentals of photography much useful advice is given with regard to all aspects of police photography. Scene of crime work, fingerprint photography and document examination are dealt with. Conventional as well as ultra violet, infrared and infrared luminescence techniques are given. Guidance and formulae for perspective, correct size and viewing distance of prints are also given together with useful information on presentation of photographic evidence. The book is undoubtedly one which police photographers will appreciate. A. Chapman ONE OF THE DROWSY SYRUPS
L'Intoxication Digitalique Massive M . Potter, J. Vedrinne, L. Perrot and R. Restoy ( M a s s o n and Cie., Paris, 1964 ; Price not quoted) This book consists of 137 pages followed by 16 pages of references. I t is divided into four chapters describing the action of digitalis overdosage. There are only a few pages on analytical technique and these are concerned with crude colour reactions and with the frog biological assay. The book is written in French. I t is obviously a "must" for clinician and pharmacologist interested in the use and action of digitalis. A. S. Curry, D. E. Price
BANE O F A BOON
Reprography and the Copyright Law E d . L. H . Hattery and G. P. B u s h . American Institute of Biological Sciences, Washington, D.C., 195 pages and index ( N o price stated) Since not everyone may be familiar with the neologism it should be explained that reprography is copying by pliotographic and other modern methods, and covers a field in which recent technical progress is considerable. This book records in readable form the papers contributed to a symposium held in 1963 by The American University to investigate copying problems affecting the communication of educational and scientific information. The multiplication of cheap reliable means of copying printed material has produced a clash with copyright law and a steady and widespread infringement of authors' rights somewhat comparable to that which occurred early in the century when radio and recorded distribution of music and lyrics became widespread and necessitated formation of an agency for protection of these rights. The problem is caused by the increasing facilities for cheap copying rather than the diminishing effectiveness of the protection afforded by law. Though less marked in the United Kingdom, the same problem exists and may shortly become acute. a10