BOOK REVIEWS 539 planation of the operation of bio- logical mechanisms is attempted, using enzyme kinetics and physico- chemical methods. Over-all this book provides a very interesting review of a number of topics of great interest in current biological research by specialists in these fields. However, for the reader not directly involved with these particular topics, the treatments are usually too detailed and require too much effort to follow. Neverthe- less, this volume gives the flavor of a field growing rapidly and making important contributions to our under- standing of biological systems.-- P^vL F•N•ELSTmN---Gillette Medical Research Institute. I)IgRMATOLOGICAL FOR•4ULAI•¾ AN•) PRESCRIPTION MANUAL by Morris Dauer and Irwin I. Lubow, Inter- national Professional Publications, Inc., Flushing, N.Y. 1964. 143 pages, indexed. Price $4. The two authors have combined their efforts and experience in com- piling a formulary which may serve to acquaint the medical student, resident, physican and specialist with medications commonly prescribed for the treatment of skin diseases. Fur- thermore, this manual can serve as a guide to the medical student in cor- rect prescription writing. This formulary is a compilation of old and new remedies collated from the various reference books, text- books and medical journals. It is divided into six main sections. The first five consist of prescription items listed according to their generic or common name along with their re- spective tradename, name of the manufacturer and the available dos- age forms and potencies. General precautions to be observed during the administration of these drugs are included for each section. These, however, are too concise. Before prescribing any of these products, the physician should acquaint himself with the therapeutic action, uses, administration, dosage, contraindica- tions and possible side-effects. The last section consists of extem- poraneously prepared formulations and lists the individual components, concentrations, method of prepara- tion, and, whenever necessary, pack- aging instructions. The therapeutic indications for groups of formula- tions are also included. This book should prove to be a handy reference book to the medical profession and an aid for proper prescription writing to the medical student. However, this manual is of little or no value to the chemist or pharmacist. -- M. STOLAR- Dome Chemicals, Inc. THE PROTEINS, COMPOSITION AND FUNCTXON, 2rid Edition, Vol. II, edited by Hans Neurath, Academic Press, New York. 1964. 840 pages, illustrated and indexed. Price $26. The writer had an opportunity to review Vol. I of this three-volume series, and there is no question that Vol. II continues the excellent and authoritative treatment initiated with the publication of Vol. I.

540 JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY OF COSMETIC CHEMISTS This book contains five rather extensive chapters. The first (chap- ter 7), "The Conformation of Poly- peptide Chains in Proteins," and the last (Chapter 11), "X-Ray Anal- ysis and Protein Structure," are concerned primarily with structural features of proteins in solution and in the solid state. Chapter 7 probably suffers from overemphasis on optical methods that is entirely under- standable because recent progress in the field of conformation of poly- peptides in solution has been sparked by the technique of optical rotatory dispersion. On the other hand, the chapter by Dickerson on X-ray analysis is a comprehensive treatment of X-ray analysis as it pertains to proteins. Although the reader of Chapter 11 will be confronted with Fourier transformations and Bessel functions, this chapter still contains much descriptive material which should be of value to the uninitiated. Dickerson justifiably emphasizes the importance of the contributions of Astbury, who is well known to cos- metic chemists for his pioneering studies of keratin, and the importance of the technique of isomorphic re- placement, which has borne fruit in the elucidation of the structure of globular proteins. In the text, Dick- erson clearly subscribes to the 9 -}- 2 arrangement of a-helices in keratin without reference to the cogent argu- ment by Sikorski against this ar- rangement. A third chapter (Chapter 10), "Polyaminoacids as Protein Models," is actually also concerned with the structure and configuration of pro- tein-like materials. This chapter is primarily descriptive and touches on many features and techniques which have been used to study proteins and protein-like materials. The shortest chapter (Chapter 9), "Interacting Protein Systems," is concerned with interactions between two proteins. The rates of forma- tion, the classification of products, and techniques for the study of these products are discussed. The outstanding chapter of this volume is probably Chapter 8, con- tributed by Steinhardt and Beychok, "Interactions of Proteins with Hy- drogen Ions and Other Small Ions and Molecules." A careful study of this chapter will be most rewarding to all who are concerned with pro- teins in one form or another. The many features of this chapter include a clear and concise introduction to the definition of pH and to the ther- modynamics of the chemical poten- tial. In addition, this chapter in- cludes discussions of techniques and descriptive data on the combinations of small ions and of unionized mole- cules with proteins. This volume is not designed for casual reading but represents a mas- sive and comprehensive document, the value of which to the practicing chemist and biologist will become apparent only after careful study. In addition, this volume should serve as an authoritative reference and introduction to specific areas of pro- tein chemistry and protein physics. --MARTIN •/[. RIEGER--Warner- Lambert Research Institute.