324 JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY OF COSMETIC CHEMISTS The entire work is to encompass six volumes. The present Volume II is com- posed of three chapters including general characteristics of the pro- teins and their metabolism, con- cluding with a discussion of cu- taneous proteins. The author is to be complimented for so ably reviewing both the old and new material. The series will be a valuable refer- ence for all interested in biochemis- try, particularly of the skin. The book needs an index badly. .Perhaps the last volume is to supply it for the entire series. It is well printed but could have a better cover and binding.--M. G. DE- NAVARRE. THE CHEMISTRY OF INDUSTRIAL TOXICOLOGY, by H. B. Elkins. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York 16, N.Y. 1959. 452 pages. Price $11.50. The study of industrial poisons, often considered from the medical viewpoint, is here treated as a chemical problem. This second edi- tion adds new subject matter in the field of industrial toxicology. Both organic and inorganic substances are discussed. The entire theme is based on skin contact or inhalation of industrial products by workers in chemical plants. For example, acetone is listed as producing narcosis which is transient with the maximum al- lowable air concentration of 500 p.p.m. Nothing is said about in- ternal .toxicity. A few common cosmetic ingredients, such as thio- glycolares, triethanolamine, diethyl phthalate, hexachlorophene, po- tassium bromate and aluminum chloride are not listed in the index. Ethylene glycol is given but not diethylene glycol. However, many other compounds are listed. The index appears adequate. The chapter headings are to the point. The presentation is clear and easy to follow.--M. G. DE- NAVARRE. THE SEQUESTRATION OF METALS, by R. L. Smith. The Macmillan Co., New York 11, N.Y. (Chapman & Hall, Ltd., London). 1959. 256 pages, indexed and illustrated. Price $8.50. In books as in anything there is the usual and then we occasionally get the outstanding. This is a usual book. Sometimes it is text that seems lacking, sometimes the refer- ences and then the final chance to polish a presentation, the proof reading. It is a shame that authors drop inventors' names and the year of the invention when listing patents. Each patent reference should answer, in so far as the autho• is able to do so, what, who and when. Too many of the patent references, especially in the section on practical application, are incomplete. In the theoretical section one senses a hastiness leading to an i.mpression of writing down to a given academic level. This is a useful book, particularly the practical section. A second edition should help correct errors, omissions and the presentation.-- M. G. DENAVARRE. gOAl' FILMS--STUDIES OF THEIR THINNING, by Karol J. Mysels, Kozo Shinoda and Stanley Frankel. Pergamon Press, New York. 116 pages, illustrated. Price $7.50. This monograph on the behavior of soap and detergent films very ad- mirably serves a twofold purpose. There is an adequate review of pre- vious observations of soap film be- havior. No work of this type has appeared in the 30-50 years since