150 JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY OF COSMETIC CHEMISTS The material is well organized and presented. Theoretical con- cepts are clearly and concisely set forth. The theoretical discussions are not extended beyond strictly pertinent material. Brief descrip- tions of commercially available in- struments are included. The au- thors have properly resisted any temptation to quote extensively from instruction sheets or manuals supplied with the instruments. This reviewer found little with which to disagree. The chapter on ultraviolet absorption spectropho- tometry does, however, seem to mini- mize the value of this very useful technique for identification of or- ganic compounds that absorb radia- tion in that region. The principal use of the book to chemists in the cosmetic and allied industries will be that of a ready reference work. It is not, and is not intended to be, an advanced trea- tise directed to the specialist in any of the particular fields of instru- mental analysis. The references to the literature are extensive and will be of value even to the experts. This book can be recommended not only to the laboratory person- nel, but also to the technical execu- tive who wishes to acquire some background in a relatively painless manner.--G. ROU•.RT CLARKe, Food and Drug Administration. ToxicITY OF INDUSTRIAL ORGANIC SOLVENTS, by Ethel Browning. Chemical Publishing Co., Inc., 212 5th Avenue, New York, N.Y. 1953. 411 pages, size 61/2 X 91/2 inches. Price $8.00. This book is the American edition of the second and revised English edition. It is not a textbook in the usual sense, but rather a compen- dium of information gathered from the literature. The statements are documented and an extensive bibli- ography covering the years up to 1948 is included at the end of each chapter. It contains ten chapters which are devoted to classes of solvents these are (I) Hydrocarbons, (II) Chlori- nated Hydrocarbons, (III) Alcohols, (IV) Ethers, (V) Esters, (VI) Ke- tones, (VII) Glycols and Their Derivatives, (VIII) Amines and and Coal Tar Bases, (IX) Nitro- compounds, and (X) Miscellaneous Compounds. A total of 126 sol- vents (not all are pure compounds) are included. The 126 solvents are discussed, in general, in the following form: (1) Physical Properties, (2) Uses, (3) Toxicity, (4) Toxic Effects in Ani- mals, and (5) Toxic Effects in Man. Of course, additional or less in- formation will be presented under any one particular solvent, depend- ing on what is available from the literature. Compounds on which considerable information is given include benzene, benzine, carbon tetrachloride, trichloroethylene, and methyl alcohol. This book should prove a valu- able addition to any library. It should be especially useful as (1) a starting point in a review of the literature on these solvents since it covers the literature up to 1948, (2) a reference text for the industrial physician since it includes the toxic effects on man, and (3) a valuable reference to the research worker in this field since it also includes animal experimentation.--Hr. NRY J. HORN, M.D., Hazleton Laborato- ries, Falls Church, Va.