BOOK REVIEWS BIOCHEMICAL PRO}•LEMS OF L•PtDS, edited by G. Popj•k and E. Le Breton. Interscience Publishers, Inc., New York 1, N.Y. 1956. 510 pages, 61/4 X l0 inches, illus- trated and indexed. Price $10.75. This book is the printed proceed- ings of the Second International Conference on the Biochemical Problems of Lipids held at Ghent, Belgium, in 1955. The eighty papers read are ar- ranged into four sections. The fields covered include those con- cerned with physical and chemical properties, methods of separation, structure, metabolism, biosynthesis enzyme systems, phospholipids, transport and miscellaneous prob- lems. A number of interesting things ap- pear in this book. Highly unsat- urated fatty acids are still called Vitamin F by contributor de Iongh. Another on the effect of unsaturated fatty acids on skin by Basnayake and Sinclair and finally a contribu- tion by Setala, el aL on co-carcino- genic lipids. This last paper dis- cusses the role of lipophilic-hydro- philic substances, nonionic, anionic and cationic on their effect as co- carcinogens. The addresses appear in several languages. The book is indexed. If you are interested in the prob- lems connected with fat technology, this book will be useful reading.-- M. G. DEN^V^RRE. WOOL WAX, CHEMISTRY AND TECH- •OLOCY, by E. V. Truter. Inter- science Publishers, Inc., New Yor14 1, N.Y. 1956. 380 pages, 6 XI 98/4 in., illustrated and indexedl Price $8.75. This very comprehensive book on wool wax (lanolin) starts with the fleece content, covers isolation, re4 fining, the chemistry and uses. A chapter of 26 pages on "Somo Properties of Emulsions" though first seeming out of place, actually] explains how the acids, alcohols andl esters of lanolin affect emulsifying I power and stability. It is interest-I ing to note that 7-oxycholesteroll has a water number of 320 (com-• pared to 650 for the mixed alcohols),l resulting in emulsions of poor sta-• bility. It is further interesting to learn l that while there are three basic l methods of wool wax removal from fibers, scouring with soap and water accounts for 99 per cent of the world's wool processing, resulting in wool wax and lanolin. This reviewer does not feel that the chapter on lanolin saponification is as complete as it could be. The chapter on the isolation of cholesterol almost seems like a part of the previous chapter. The main fault with this book is that it is strongly British in its coverage. More could be written on many facets of the book that would include work from other countries. Australian, German and U.S. developments could be better covered. It is granted that there is probably more wool washed and wool wax produced as a result in 340

BOOK REVIEWS 341 England than anywhere in the world. But keep in mind it was the production of "lanolin" by the Germans from wool scouring waste that makes the volume of lanolin used in cosmetics, soaps and phar- maceuticals second in volume to lubricants. The chapters dealing with wool wax chemistry appear to be well done. The author writes with authority. The few points mentioned above do •not detract from the fundamental value of this work. The book is in- terestingly written and quite well , organized. You will want it as a reference.--M. G. r)EN^v^RRE. THE CHEMISTRY AND TECHNOLOGY or WaxEs, by Albin H. Warth. Reinhold Publishing Corp., New York 22, N.Y. 1956. 940 pages, 6 X 9 inches, illustrated and in- dexed. Price $18. This second edition of Dr. Warth's earlier work brings up to date the advances that have taken place in wax technology. It is doubtful if the author means to tell us that cetyl alcohol is pro- duced from sperm aceti by hydro- genation on page 23 of Chapter 2 which is otherwise full of many use- ful data on fat and wax derivatives. In the next chapter, under liquid animal waxes, the newer liquid lanolin fractions could be mentioned. Lanolin is otherwise well described. The chapter on natural waxes dis- cusses almost every imaginable wax known in nature. The discussion of earth waxes is most enlightening. Synthetic waxes include the famous I. G. waxes now called Gersthofen wax. Fischer-Tropsch waxes are included in the discussion. Considering only the cosmetic portion of Chapter 10 on wax uses in industry, one feels that it is quite impossible to do the subject justice in so short a space. The data are and have to be superficial. But per- haps to those interested only in a thumbnail sketch of wax usage by various industries, the present ma- terial is adequate. All-in-all, this is a valuable ref- erence and needed by all cosmetic chemists.--M. G. DEN^V^RRF•. KOSMETIK HUETE, by Dr. Heinz Weyhbrecht and Dr. Lieselotte En- derlein. Paracelsus Verlag, Stutt- gart, Germany. 1956. 123 pages, size 8 X 51/2 inches. Price: DM 7.20. This book represents a collabora- tire effort of a dermatologist and a "cosmetologist," the latter being the directtess of the "Academy of Cos- metics" in Stuttgart. It is written for the lay reader with the avowed purpose of telling her what she may properly expect of the many cos- metic preparations available to her, and where to be on guard against false or exaggerated claims. The subject matter is discussed under the following major ch.apter headings: beautifying cosmetics (make-up), skin structure in relation to cos- metic care, conditioning cosmetics, cleansing the skin, home care in special cases, the cosmetic salon, wrinkles and climatic damage, the r61e of the beautician or dermatolo- gist in the treatment of skin defects, dermatological cosmetics and the current status of the professional beautician. Although one might take excep- tion to some of the statements made in this book, its common sense ap- proach to, and honest treatment of, the total subject should be appreci- ated by the interested layman who wishes to use good cosmetics in a