out inhaling, the last third of cigars and cigarettes being rejected. Filtration of the smoke through impregnated wadd- ing also makes smoking more hygienic.” The reviewer would have preferred a sterner warning, even in a “primer”.

On the whole, however, the book is a welcome addition to the German literature on toxicology. It can be recommended, not only to physicians and hospital doctors, but also to chemists and works managers as a source of ready informa- tion on the dangers involved in handling chemicals. Intelli- gent use of the MAC tables is also important for chemists.

H. Oettel [ N B 7261

An Introduction to the Alkaloids. By G. A. Swan. Blackwell Scientific Publications. Oxford-Edinburgh 1967. 1st Edit., viii, 326 pp., 63 s.

Because of the tendency to use increasingly smaller mole- cules for descriptions of chemical and physical methods, many organic chemistry textbooks have become more or less removed from the field of natural products, where many of these methods were in fact developed. However, natural products not only constitute the original and literal object of study in “organic” chemistry, but also a good medium for training students. Their structure and biological function offers an abundance of problems fulI of methodological and theoretical aspects. Alkaloids represent a particularly good example and in this introduction by Swan have been given an excellent presentation very suitable for use in colleges.

A good, competent selection of chemical, biogenetic, and pharmacological information is used to illustrate why the alkaloids have been, and still are, a fascinating object of study. Among others, the stereochemistry of yohimbine and morphine, Woodward‘s strychnine synthesis, mass spectro- metry of the indole alkaloids, the biosynthesis of tropane, opium, and indole alkaloids and the medicinal utilization of quinine and reserpine, all illustrated by excellent formulas, make exciting reading. A further stimulating feature of this book is the occasional interposition of amusing bits of information in the otherwise concentrated scientific text. The reader is told how the Spanish Jesuits calculated the cost of cinchona bark in the 17th century and that spiders spin more regular webs after being given LSD. The contents are divided into 21 chapters on the basis of the heterocyclic struc- tures. The wide margin left on each page to enable supple- mentary notes to be added is useful. Almost 900 references extending to 1966 are given and few misprints are evident.

The book deserves every recommendation as a modern intro- duction to the alkaloids for advanced students and others possessing some basic knowledge of heterocyclic compounds. The low price will encourage its wide distribution.

E. Frunck [NB 718 IE]

Drugs Affecting the Peripheral Nervous System. By A . Burger. Medical Research Series, Vol. 1. Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York 1967. 1st Edit., xxiii, 620 pages, $ 27.50.

In the introductory chapter S. Ehrenpreis reports on the transfer of cholinergic stimulation in terms of molecular biology. He finds that it has not so far been possible to isolate the receptor, and that all postulates are thus purely hypothetical. H. L . Friedman describes postganglionic para- sympathetic stimulants and the variability of the acetylcholine molecule in connection with the muxcarine-like effect. J. C. Cannon and J. P. Long discuss cholinolytic atropine-like drugs and the relationships between biological action and stereochemical configuration. L. Gyermek reports in a re- markably concise and clear manner about drugs stimulating or blocking the peripheral ganglion. Substances which in- fluence the nervous transfer to the skeletal muscle, above all

muscle relaxants, are discussed by J. J . Lewis and T. C. Muir in terms of their mode of action. J. P. Long and C. J. Evans discuss reversibly acting cholinesterase inhibitors from the aspect of model postulates, whereas the kinetics of the irre- versible phosphorus-containing cholinesterase inhibitors are dealt with in a short article by I . E . Wilson with reference to the extensive literature. Two other chapters deal with sym- pathomimetic agents (A. M . Lands and T. G. Brown jr . ) and sympatholytic agents ( N . B. Chapman and J. D . B. Graham). In conclusion, C. M. Smith reports on the medicinal in- fluencing of the afferent nervous system, with particular attention to pain, and pressor and chemoreceptors. Despite the certain amount of overlapping inevitable in a collective work, the book seems to be self-contained. The theoretical introduction to each chapter does much to help the reader who is not so familiar with the field, thus making the contents more useful to a wider audience.

G. Quadbeck [NB 712 IE]

Molecular Biophysics. By D. Chapman and R. B. Leslie. Contemporary Science Paperbacks,Vol. 4. Oliver and Boyd, Edinburgh-London 1967. 1st Edit., vi, 151 pages, several figures and tables, paperback 7s. 6d.

This little book attempts to describe what is meant by molecular biophysics. In doing so it renders a service neither to molecular biophysics nor to the reader, if it is in fact possible to establish for whom this book is intended. For example, the term codon is explained at length, but the term relaxation effect is assumed to be understood by itself. Is one expected to know what this term means and yet to have to be told what nuclear resonance denotes?

The meaning that the authors attach to the term molecular biophysics is likewise obscure. In an initial descriptive part the extended formula of lecithin occupies a special page. It seems that molecular biophysics does not presup- pose even an elementary acquaintance with the chem- istry of natural products. Then a morphological dis- cussion is used to define molecular biophysics and finally we wander into the theory of evolution. The respiratory chain is once more described on the basis of the redox potentials of the isolated constituents, the nonheme iron and copper are suppressed “for the sake of clarity”. The entire Krebs cycle, which can hardly be regarded as form- ing a part of molecular biophysics, is given; so are the inevitable photographs of the Perutz hemoglobin model. Much is made of electron spin resonance and free radicals without defining the term radical. By contrast, the triplet oxygen molecule, a phenomenon unique to molecular bio- physics, is not mentioned.

Finally, Chapter 6 discusses some “selected problems in biophysics”. The chapter is a pleasure to read and obviously this is where the interest of the authors lies. In some instances concluding chapters can justify a book; this is not one of

P. Hemmerich [NB 724 IE] them.

L’Analyse Cinetique de la Transformation Chimique (Kinetic Analysis of Chemical Reactions), Vol. 1. By J. C. Jungers and L . Sujus, with the collaboration of I . de Aguirre and D. Decroq. Edition Technio, Paris 1967. 1st Edit., 604 pages, 224 figures, 163 tables, DOUnd, F 145.-.

The title of the book defines the scope: kinetics is not dis- cussed for its own sake.

In the preface it is stressed that first gas reactions were treated, then reactions in extremely dilute solutions, while in labora- tory and industry one works with solutions as concentrated as possible. It is rightly pointed out that even the choice of reaction systems already involved simplifications.

656 Angew. Chem. internat. Edit. 1 Vol. 7 (I968) 1 No. 8