PETTIBONE’S TEXT-BOOK OF PHYSIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY WITH EXPERIMENTS

No one can read such a book as this without gaining a fuller realization of the fact that food problems require for their solution not merely such information as is furnished by chemical analysis, but actual trial on the living animal, in other words, the biological test. The advances made thus far have been so great that it is unnecessary to outline the possibilities which the newly elaborated feeding technics offer in the way of further discoveries and additions to the “newer knowledge of nutrition”; these, without a doubt, will be sufficient to require still other editions of this valuable book. In a branch of science like physiological chemistry which is undergoing rapid changes and in which the approach is seldom the same for any two teachers, one rarely finds a textbook that is even generally suited to his particular purpose. Furthermore, it is a difficult task to revise a book originally written by another; the former plan, if not the ideas, inevitably exerts an influence on the remodeled work. The original author of this book aimed to prepare “an intermediate text” covering the general field of physiological chemistry and that is essentially the character of the present revision. There are about 220 pages of theoretical discussion and IOO pages of directions for practical laboratory exercises. Although the material is of necessity condensed and the classical topics are presented without embellish-ment, the treatment is essentially up to date. The section on vitamins, especially, is well written. In the matter of arrangements there are certain incoherences, notably in the first chapter where osmotic pressure, hydrogen ion concentration, nature and behavior of enzymes, energy exchange and ductless glands are all grouped together under the title “Physical Chemistry and Its Relation to Physiological Chemistry”. As a necessary supplement to the abridged discussion in the text there is appended a topical bibliography in which, unfortunatelv, some of the more modern reviews are not included. The book is well printed and the frequent equations, structural formulas and diagrams enhance its value.