182 JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY OF COSMETIC CHEMISTS an instinctive respect for the printed word makes it difficult for most people to appreciate that it is occasionally completely false. Such wisdom is not difficult to come by, provided a consious [sic] effort is made to cultivate it." It would deprive the reader of enjoyment to highlight more of the interesting points that the author makes. Instead, this reviewer feels that any research worker who will spend two or three hours reading this book will be the richer for it and a better scientist.--M. M. R•EGER, Warner-Lambert Research Institute. DIE NORMALE UND PATHOLOGISCHE PHYSIOLOGIE DER HAUT by G/inter St/ittgen. Gustav Fischer Verlag, Stuttgart, Germany. 1965. 577 pages, illustrated and indexed. Price 88 M. In contrast to other textbooks of dermatology, St•ttgen's book uses skin physiology to differentiate be- tween normal and pathological condi- tions. Thus, deviation from the normal function of the skin is used as the basis for describing its pathologi~ eal changes. As a result, one finds relatively little in this volume on morphology and skin anatomy. In- stead, the chemical and physical properties and the metabolism of the normal skin are described in detail. It is for this reason that this volume should indeed be of particular interest to cosmetic chemists. The volume is divided into 24 chapters of widely varying lengths. Most of these chapters are further subdivided into minor headings. Each chapter is followed by extensive literature references, which include not only original research papers but also books and review papers. It is a special credit to the author that refer- ences-considering the formidable subject and the number of citations-- are quite up-to-date. As noted above, this book differs from other books on the same subject in ap- proach it is also unusual in style and arrangement. The author has managed to keep the size of the book to a minimum by making tables, listings, flow diagrams, classifications, etc., intrinsic parts of the text. By this technique, unnecessary repetition is avoided, and an unusual amount of information has been crammed into relatively little space. Of particular interest to the cos- roetie chemists is the chapter on penetration and absorption. The graphic approach to molecular and ionic size and the tabulation of those chemicals the penetration of which has been studied are unique and in- struetive and deserve special men- tion. Other excellent chapters of immediate value to cosmetic chem- ists are the chapters on the influence of light on skin and on the reactivity of human skin. This volume is not only an ex- cellent introductory text to derma- tology but should prove useful as a definitive reference work to the vast literature which pertains to the physiology of skin. The price of about $19 is high but still less than that of many American books on

JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY OF COSMETIC CHEMISTS 183 related subjects which offer less. Study of this book can be recom- mended highly to all who can read German even if they need a dictionary for assistance. Perhaps, the pub- lisher might translate this book into English for those who are unable or unwilling to struggle through the German text.--M. M. RmcF•}•, Warner-Lambert Research Institute.