REVIEWS 673 



the plant and of the effect upon these of roasting is skilfully summarised and 

 is quite up-to-date ; the chapter is brought to a close with the details of the 

 methods of chemical analysis of«coftee as recommended by the Association of 

 Official Agricultural Chemists. In the section on Pharmacology the phy- 

 siological action of the more important constituents is discussed, and emphasis 

 is laid upon the fact that the coffee plant contains no true tannin of the type 

 which precipitates proteins and is a fruitful source of indigestion. The 

 botanical chapters describe in plain language the morphology of the various 

 species of cultivated and wild plants, as well as hybrids and the caffein-free 

 trees of Madagascar. The remaining chapters deal with the cultivation of 

 the plant, the preparation of green coffee, details of marketing both wholesale 

 and retail, the history of coffee advertising, coffee in relation to literature and 

 the fine arts, the evolution of coffee apparatus and the world's coffee manners, 

 only to mention a few of the numerous subjects discussed. At the end come 

 a coffee chronology and coffee bibliography of 12 and 30 pages respectively. 

 Profusely illustrated throughout, and with a number of coloured plates, the 

 book provides a mass of information for those connected with the trade, for 

 experts, and for the mere layman who, as an inquisitive devotee, wishes to 

 know more about his favourite beverage. 



P. H. 



A Laboratory Handbook of Biochemistry. By P. C. Raiment, B.A., M.R.C.S., 

 L.R.C.P., and G. L. Peskett, B.A. [Pp. 100.] (London : Edward 

 Arnold & Co., 1922. Price 5s. net.) 



We had looked for a better conceit in the biochemist of to-day. The time has 

 surely passed when the clinical examination of urine and blood, of foods and 

 digestive juices, might legitimately claim the name of Biochemistry, and the 

 authors had been better advised to have been content with a less exacting 

 title. The book has evidently been produced to meet the demands of an over- 

 burdened medical curriculum, but even with such unpromising material we 

 feel that a more helpful book might have been compiled — if compiled it must 

 be. Into one hundred pages has been condensed just enough chemistry to 

 enable the unfortunate student to slip through the fingers of the equally 

 unfortunate examiner. The examination method of treating physiological 

 chemistry is here epitomised and stands condemned, whilst the necessity for 

 embellishing the practical notes with some theoretical considerations has led 

 inevitably to many loose and misleading statements. We read that " every- 

 thing that has been said about the globulins applies to the albumins," that 

 the proteins " present two distinct kinds of properties : (i) chemical, and (ii) 

 physical," and that the alkalinity of the pancreatic juice is " roughly equal 

 to the acidity of the gastric juice." Again, we are counselled, in hints on the 

 identification of unknown substances, that a smell of almonds on heating to 

 dryness indicates uric acid, and that a precipitate produced by ammonium 

 chloride may be uric acid or soap — if the murexide test is positive it is the 

 former, if negative it is soap. 



This is certainly not good chemistry ; we are doubtful if it is good cram- 

 ming. 



R. K. C. 



BOTANY AND AGRICULTURE 



Recent Progress in Rubber Chemistry and Technology. By Philip Schi- 

 DROWiTZ, Ph.D., F.E.S. [Pp. 64.] (London : Benn Bros., 1922. 

 Price 3s. 6d. net.) 



This little book must be judged as a survey of recent developments in the 

 various branches of the rubber industry, addressed to those who are already 



