ing to the reviewer, since the title of the book on Fluorescence Analysis, of which he is co-author, is a victim of this habit! There are some good line illustrations explaining the points made, but the few half-tones are poor; and the electron microscope pictured is attributed to "Sieman." On the whole this is a useful book for the category of readers cited above, but it could have been rather better. Julius Grant PRACTICE The Microbiological Safety of Food Edited by B. C. Hobbs and J. H. B. Christian (Academic Press, New York 1973; 487pp., £7.50) This publication comprises the proceedings of the 8th Symposium in a Series on Food Microbiology and Hygiene organized by the International Association of Microbiological Societies, held at Reading, in September 1972. A wide range of countries is covered by the authors of the papers read to the Symposium; and by those contributing to the discussions, which are also reproduced. The range of subjects is wide and includes the bacteriology of various commodities in relation to food poisoning, the epidemiology of food- borne infections in man and animals, special laboratory techniques, legal and non-legal specifications, and education. Naturally, food poisoning figures prominently in the papers read and there are six papers dealing specifically with salmonella. The magnitude of this problem can be appreciated from the fact that, in 1968 to 1970 there was an average of 6,000 incidents each year and, as these are only reported cases, it is believed that the true number is very much higher. Salmonellae were responsible for the largest proportion of incidents. Some interesting laboratory techniques are described under that heading. Special mention may be made of the use of fluorescent antibodies for the detection of Clostridium botulinum. In this method fluorescent labelled antibodies are used to stain over-night cultures of various strains of the organisms, electro- immuno diffusion being the method for detecting the toxin. The book is addressed to a wide range of workers, the pathologist, the statistician, the laboratory worker, the legal practitioner and the reporter. Of these the first is the type of member in our Society most likely to be interested in the book. As is to be expected, the Symposium was intended to provide a specialist's account of recent developments rather than a systematic treatment starting from fundamentals. This is particularly the case with laboratory techniques, which are all of a specialist nature, and a knowledge of elementary techniques is assumed. The section on legal and non-legal specifications is particularly interesting to those concerned with food, and much information is given regarding standards of food hygiene in countries other than Britain. From their very nature, as part of a Symposium, the contributions to this book are authoritative and those concerned with the micro-biological safety of food will find it a valuable addition to their reference library. Julius Grant TAKING STEPS IN BIOCHEMISTRY A Guide Book to Biochemistry Yudkin and Offord (Cambridge University Press, London, 1971; Cloth £3.20: Paper £1.00) If the reader has access to any standard biochemistry textbooks, let him reach for one now and survey the list of contents. The writer will be surprised if it doesn't read something like physico-chemical principles, amino acids, sugars,

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ing to the reviewer, since the title of the book on Fluorescence Analysis, of which he is co-author, is a victim of this habit!

There are some good line illustrations explaining the points made, but the few half-tones are poor; and the electron microscope pictured is attributed to "Sieman." On the whole this is a useful book for the category of readers cited above, but it could have been rather better.

Julius Grant

PRACTICE

The Microbiological Safety of Food Edited by B. C. Hobbs and J. H. B. Christian (Academic Press, New York 1973; 487pp., £7.50)

This publication comprises the proceedings of the 8th Symposium in a Series on Food Microbiology and Hygiene organized by the International Association of Microbiological Societies, held at Reading, in September 1972.

A wide range of countries is covered by the authors of the papers read to the Symposium; and by those contributing to the discussions, which are also reproduced. The range of subjects is wide and includes the bacteriology of various commodities in relation to food poisoning, the epidemiology of food- borne infections in man and animals, special laboratory techniques, legal and non-legal specifications, and education. Naturally, food poisoning figures prominently in the papers read and there are six papers dealing specifically with salmonella. The magnitude of this problem can be appreciated from the fact that, in 1968 to 1970 there was an average of 6,000 incidents each year and, as these are only reported cases, it is believed that the true number is very much higher. Salmonellae were responsible for the largest proportion of incidents.

Some interesting laboratory techniques are described under that heading. Special mention may be made of the use of fluorescent antibodies for the detection of Clostridium botulinum. In this method fluorescent labelled antibodies are used to stain over-night cultures of various strains of the organisms, electro- immuno diffusion being the method for detecting the toxin.

The book is addressed to a wide range of workers, the pathologist, the statistician, the laboratory worker, the legal practitioner and the reporter. Of these the first is the type of member in our Society most likely to be interested in the book. As is to be expected, the Symposium was intended to provide a specialist's account of recent developments rather than a systematic treatment starting from fundamentals. This is particularly the case with laboratory techniques, which are all of a specialist nature, and a knowledge of elementary techniques is assumed. The section on legal and non-legal specifications is particularly interesting to those concerned with food, and much information is given regarding standards of food hygiene in countries other than Britain. From their very nature, as part of a Symposium, the contributions to this book are authoritative and those concerned with the micro-biological safety of food will find it a valuable addition to their reference library.

Julius Grant

TAKING STEPS IN BIOCHEMISTRY

A Guide Book to Biochemistry Yudkin and Offord (Cambridge University Press, London, 1971; Cloth £3.20: Paper £1.00)

If the reader has access to any standard biochemistry textbooks, let him reach for one now and survey the list of contents. The writer will be surprised if it doesn't read something like physico-chemical principles, amino acids, sugars,