52 JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY OF COSMETIC CHEMISTS innumerable relevant items dealing with standards, preservation, sterilization, sterility testing and analytical techniques. The long-standing, widespread experience of these matters in the pharmaceutical field and their condensation into relatively foolproof specifications, provides a great xvealth of useful material. No cosmetic chemist can afford to be without a copy of the B.P.C. and preferably the latest edition. N.J. VAN ABBI• SELECTIVE TOXICITY. A. Albert. 4th edn. Pp. xvii + 531 q- Ill. (1968). Methuen, London. •3.50 (70s). This is the fourth edition of a most readable book, the title of which might well mislead those who are not well versed in medicinal chemistry. Toxicology in the usual sense is not the principal subject-matter. The author likes to get down to first princi- ples and, by definition, the purpose of his book is to examine the properties of sub- stances that will harm certain cells without hurting others. This includes selectivity against, for example, bacteria infecting the human host but it also includes the selec- tive action of an anaesthetic on nerve-cells in the human subject. As the Preface points out, pharmacology is certainly concerned with behaviour at the cellular level and increasingly at the molecular level. The book deals with the physical and chemical means by which selective effects are exerted its author, Professor Adrien Albert, enjoys a world-wide reputation as one of the leading authorities on structure-activity relationships. There are two main parts, headed "Topics of general interest" and "The relation- ship between structure and biological activity". The first part guides the reader very gently through the cytology and biochemistry which form the essential basis for understanding the main subjects and explains the general principles of absorption, distribution and excretion. It also offers a comparative outline of chemotherapy and pharmacodynamics (selectivity against invading cells in the former instance and between different host-cells in the latter). The current activities of the medicinal chemist are the main theme of Part 2, such as metabolite analogues, steric influences, ionization, metal-binding, surface pheno- mena and free radicals. Research papers appear at a truly explosive rate in this field but Prof. Albert has selected about 500, of which he has abstracted the essence in model fashion. A textbook based so much on literature references often becomes quite disjointed and difficult to read, but no such criticism can be levelled here. Not sur- prisingly, the author's own researches (notably on the antimicrobial properties and structure/activity relationships in the acridine series) figure strongly in the text this may give a bias, of course, but it also injects authenticity and personal involve- ment into what could otherwise easily become second-hand and dull. There is little room to complain about the book as it stands. It deals with a subject which has been the target for active research for little more than fifty years. It is the fundamental knowledge which tends to be inadequate, rather than the way in which the present author has propounded it. This probably explains why so little attention is given to disease-resistance and the problems of the ageing process, and so much to the largely empirical use of pharmacodynamic agents in modern medicine. However,

BOOK REVIEXVS 53 Prof. Albert has his feet firmly on the ground when he forcefully argues for the essential role of clinical pharmacology in drug research. Cosmetic chemists generally do not become deeply involved in these matters but there is much to be said for grasping the main principles, for example, to avoid acquiring a narrow and routine attitude towards toxicological studies. If a fixed range of prescribed animal tests ever becomes the beginning and end of safety evalua- tion for cosmetics, the outlook for our purchasers will be a grim one. Digesting Prof. Albert's book would certainly help to avoid this eventuality. N.J. VAN ABBI• . ABWASSER, ABGAS, SCHWEBSTOFFTECHNIK. Dechema- Monographien Nr. 1045-1069. 59. Pp. 350 + I11. (1968). Verlag Chemie, Weinheim. In 1967 a symposium xvas held in Frankfurt (West Germany) concerning effluents, waste gases and atmospheric aerosols. In total 27 lectures were given, of which 25 have been printed in this book. With the exception of three French contribu- tions, all papers are given in the original language with summaries in German, English and French. Of special interest to cosmetic chemists seems the development of the laminar flow clean rooln system, which can maintain an atmosphere essentially free from particles «gm and larger. Since most known bacteria are in this range, the method would be ideal in the first place for maintaining a sterile atmosphere in critical areas of hospitals, e.g. the operating theatre. At this moment it seems far-fetched, but it might be worthwhile for manufacturers of toiletries to keep an eye on the further development of this technique. G. CARRIERE UNTERNEHMENSFORSCHUNG (OPERATIONS RE- SEARCH). Dechema-Monographien Nr. 1070-1082. 60. Pp. 217 + Ill. (1968). Verlag Chemie, Weinheim. This contains the thirteen papers given at the "Achema Tagung", 1967. All papers deal with the applications of operations research to chemical technology. Each paper has been printed in its original language, except one French article •vhich has been translated into English. But all papers have summaries in English, German and French. The principles of operations research, i.e. the rational application of quantitative methods to problems of planning and decision making, had been known for a long time, but its practical application has only been made possible by the intro- duction of the digital computer. For everyone who has to invite tenders or to place contracts, this little book is of great- interest, as it indicates the best exploitation of capacities in setting up time schedules, and, finally, in determining the optimal distribution from the point of costs. G. CARRIERE