•oo•: •v•ws 267 origins and progression of packaging films. Successive chapters deal with the pro- duction methods, advantages and disadvantages and applications of polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, and pvc films, which, next to cellulose, are commercially the most important types. Shrink wrapping films of diverse chemical composition are grouped together for comparison, and the special problems of the testing and analysis of thin polymer films are dealt with comprehensively. The problems of printing and adhesion of packaging films are discussed in general terms, and this is followed by an account of the new technique of cold-seal pattern printing of polypropylene and similar films, and by a review of the work in progress in adapting automatic packaging machines to modern packaging films. The book, which is copiously illustrated, ends with an assessment of the future growth potential of packaging films. Everyone concerned with the problems of production, tailor-making, converting, machining and, above all, with industrial uses of packaging films will find this book a sound and reliable source of information. A.H. THE CHEMIST'S DICTIONARY OF MEDICAL TERMS. 8th Edn. Pp. 7-290. (1967). Morgan-Grampian, London. 35s. The relationship between cosmetics, toilet preparations and dermatology inevitably brings the cosmetic chemists into contact with medical terms. Lucid definitions thereof are difficult to obtain by the "layman", and this book fills a gap in the literature by presenting, and cross-referencing, concise definitions of medical terms--thus making them easily understood. It should find its place on the bookshelf of every cosmetic chemist concerned with problems which entail an understanding of medical terms. A.H. PERFUMERY AND FLAVORING SYNTHETICS. 2nd Edn. P. Z. Bedoukian. Pp. xvii q- 395. (1967). Elsevier Publishing Co., Amsterdam/London/New York. 140s. The first edition of "Bedoukian" was published in 1951 and so a revision was more than due in view of the tremendous developments which have taken place in this field in the intervening years. The principal changes from the earlier edition are a much improved format and consequently improved readability the use of skeletal in place of linear structural formulas where appropriate an expansion of the general introductory comments to each monograph, to include among other things, notes on usefulness in soaps and detergents, skin irritation and inclusion in the GRAS list of flayouting materials transference of references to the end of each monograph presentation of physical properties in tabular form inclusion of E.O.A. specifications pruning of the experi- mental detail of the synthetic and manufacturing processes and omission entirely of the analytical section of the earlier edition. One monograph, phenylpropyl alcohol, has been omitted completely. Several materials formerly presented as separate monographs are now linked together as joint monographs: the carbinols includes methyl phenyl carbinol, dimethyl benzyl carbinol and their esters, and additionally phenylethyl dimethyl carbinol the di- phenyl compounds absorbs diphenyl oxide and benzophenone together with diphenyl- methane geraniol and nerol are merged into one monograph hydratropic aldehvde

268 JOURNAL OE THE SOCIETY OF COSMETIC CHEMISTS has been brought under phenylacetaldehyde and its homologues the musk odorants includes the nitro~musks and macrocyclic musks and the naphthol derivatives takes in the I]-naphthol ethers and the methyl ketones. Several entirely new monographs have been added: the acetylenic compounds incorporates methyl heptine carbonate together with nonadienal dimethyl acetal (Parmavert) unsaturated aliphatic alcohols (hexenols, octenol and nonadienol and esters thereof strangely undecenyl alcohol is included under saturated alcohols) unsaturated aliphatic aldehydes (mainly hexenals, heptenals and nonadienal strangely again while 2-undecenal is included correctly in this monograph 10-undecenal is included with saturated aldehydes) the jasmone group and the quinoline group. The monograph on amylcinnamic aidehyde has been expanded to include the hexyl homologue and skatole has been added to the monograph on indole. I would single out for particular mention as especially good reviews the mono- graphs on ionones and methyl ionones (22 pages) and musk odorants (45 pages). The book concludes with a 16-page section entitled miscellaneous interesting aromatics which includes, among other materials, tert-butyl cyclohexyl esters (vertenex), dihydro-a-terpineol (merithanoi), hydroxy aldehydes (lyral), isocyclo citral, herone, oxyacetaldehydes, and rose oxide. Having come to the industry by way of organosynthetic chemistry, I was partic- ularly pleased to see the increasing use of good chemical nomenclature. A book such as this must be a prime mover in the transition from the antiquated and often in- correct to modern nomenclature. I would have liked to have seen the approved IUPAC names given at least as synonyms for all of the main materials the new and more extensively revised monographs are superior in this respect. Inevitably in so detailed a work some errors are bound to creep through however these seem to be remarkably few. It is irritating to see the continuing misuse of the ending 'yl' when referring to acids and aldehydes. The alternative formula for a- methyl cinnamic aldehyde should of course be 2- (not 1-) methyl-3-phenyl-2- propenal. a-Methyl cinnamic alcohol should be t-methyl cinnamyl alcohol and the alternative name given mixes the Greek letter and numeral nomenclatures and more correctly should be 2-methyl-3-phenyl-2-propen-l-ol. The apparently continuing use of the designation a for this material in the E.O.A. specification ism'surprising. I would like to see the use of the approved radical name 'phenethyl' extended beyond the research laboratories 'phenyl ethyl' as two words is sometimes ambiguous especially in the carbinols. One criticism which might be levelled at the author is his omission of most trade name synonyms, but on reflection this may be taken as a deliberate and indeed desirable attempt to encourage manufacturers to use proper chemical names for their products. One reviewer has described this book as discussing "virtually all the materials now available", which is, of course, far from correct the result would be a massive volume. Nevertheless most of the commoner materials are included, together with many of the less common, particularly those resulting from the author's own research work. Altogether some data are presented on over two hundred and seventy materials. Despite the above criticisms, which are after all comparatively minor, this book must be regarded as making a substantial contribution to the art and science of perfumery, particularly in the removal of the obscurantism, vagueness and inaccur- acies of the past. It is an essential reference work for all engaged in perfumery or with