550 



NATURE 



I'Jum: 22, 191 1 



p. 238 seems u '~!i|) for the "syenite-porphyry" of 

 p. 243. On p. 147, li>i Skeat " read " Skeats." Onc- 

 er two prominent ti im^, like roches moulonndcs and 

 strain-slip cleavage, ninain unnoticed in the truly 

 admirable index. Grenville A. J. Cole. 



BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY. 

 An Introduction to Bacteriological and Enzyme 

 Chemistry. By Dr. G. J. Fowler. Pp. viii + 328. 

 (London : Edward Arnold, n.d.) Price 75. 6d. net. 



IN this work we welcome a valuable contribution 

 to the scanty English literature of a subject of 

 vast and constantly growing importance. A great in- 

 crease of interest in biological chemistry and a conse- 

 quent rapid development of the subject along almost 

 innumerable lines have been among the most notice- 

 able features in the history of chemistry during the 

 last ten or fifteen )'ears. Stimulated by the brilliant 

 successes of Fischer and the important researches of 

 Buchner, many workers have devoted themselves to 

 the study of biochemical problems, and especially to 

 the investigation of enzyme action. Accompanying 

 this scientific movement, and no doubt in part re- 

 sponsible for it, there has been a widespread introduc- 

 tion of biological methods into the routine experience 

 aUke of the industrial and analytical chemist. The 

 subjects of agricultural and dairy chemistry, water 

 analysis and sewage disposal, to say nothing of the 

 advance in the old-established fermentation industries, 

 at once suggest themselves as instances of this tend- 

 ency, and an audience has thus been created anxious 

 for authoritative information on the principles under- 

 1\ ing the application of biology to all these questions. 



It is to this audience that Dr. Fowler has addressed 

 the main portion of his book. Anxious to meet the 

 needs not only of the chemist, but of the engineer and 

 medical officer of health, and even of the general 

 reader, he has, however, included a chapter on general 

 organic chemistry which it is to be feared will be 

 found superfluous by the chemist, and will be 

 "caviare to the general." Apart from this the plan 

 of the book is excellent. The chief types of enzyme 

 action and of the chemical action of bacteria are first 

 discussed, along with the chemistry of the sugars and 

 proteins, substances which play so important a part in 

 all biochemical changes, and the book culminates in 

 three chapters describing the relation of all these 

 matters to agriculture, sewage disposal, and various 

 industries. The treatment throughout is clear and 

 practical, the excellent method being adopted of quot- 

 ing as far as possible actual experimental results and 

 methods from the original sources, and thus enabling 

 the reader to appreciate the lines on which successful 

 investigation of such problems must be shaped. 



As might be expected in a book ranging somewhat 

 lightly over a large field of detailed information, occa- 

 sional inaccuracies are to be found. Thus the lactic 

 and acetic fermentations (p. 13) have both been ob- 

 tained by Buchner with cells killed by acetone; the 

 discussion of the mutarotation of glucose might easily 

 be understood to mean that the change is due to 

 equilibrium occurring between the aldehyde and one 

 of the oxide forms of glucose (p. 98). More serious 

 NO. 2173, VOL. 86] 



fault is to be found with the description of the w» Ii 

 known guaiacum t«*st for peroxidases, along with ti 

 typical albumin reactions, as characteristic properti' 

 of enzymes in general (p. 104). Peroxidases are n' 

 rt'cognised as a distinct and individual class of enzyni' 

 and it is at least highly probable that many enzynu 

 are not proteins, and among them diastase itself, in 

 connection with which these tests are quoted. Som* - 

 thing, moreover, has gone seriously wrong both wi; 

 the formulae and argument on p. 173. 



Some of the subjects touched upon are of f.i- 

 cinating interest, a notable example being found i: 

 the chapter on the "Cycle of Nitrogen." This is, <>: 

 course, a matter of the most fundamental economic 

 importance, and one with which the author is special!' 

 qualified to deal. 



For all who feel any curiosity about biological cher 

 istry this book should serve as an e.xcellent introdu' - 

 tion, and it should be difficult for anyone to read i 

 without realising some of that glamour which li.- 

 attracted so many workers to the investigation of th<t 

 chemistry of living beings. A. Harden. 



WEm GREENLAND ESKIMO. 

 Bei den Eskimos in Westgronland. Ergebnisse ein^ 

 Sommerreisc im Jahre, 1906. By Dr. R. Trebitsi : 

 Nebst einem ethnologischen Anhang, von Dr. M 

 Haberlandt. Pp. xxiii+ 162 + map. (Berlin: D; — 

 trich Reimer (Ernst Vohsen), 1910.) Price 8 mark-. 



DR. TREBITSCH gives a very readable and 

 capitally illustrated account of his twelve week-' 

 journey in western Greenland. Considering how lar^.;' 

 was the distance covered in this short time, it i> 

 creditable to him how much information was collecteci. 

 West Greenland, between 73° N. lat., and Cape Fare 

 well, is in the possession of Denmark. The entire trad« 

 is in the hands of the Kgl. gronlandischen Handel, 

 Government concern, somewhat similar to our old 

 East India Company, and there are stringent regula^ 

 tions to prevent intrusion by other Powers. Travellers 

 must have a valid pretext for going, must undergc 

 medical inspection, and are not allowed to take in- 

 toxicants ill to the country. 



It was only as a collector of phonographic records 

 for the K. Akademie d. Wissenschaften of Vienna 

 that Dr. Trebitsch could get leave at Copenhagen t<: 

 visit West Greenland. The country is divided int 

 districts, the chief town of each is a "colony," whert 

 lives a Government official, who is at the same timt 

 the sole trader ; other officials, mainly natives, ar 

 scattered about at trading centres. The Dani-! 

 regime is apparently beneficial; for the West Greti- 

 landers have increased from 6,286 in 1820 to 11,71 

 in 1904, a striking contrast to the state of affair 

 among the Eskimo of Alaska. The writings of Dfj 

 Boas and others have taught us to expect some degr 

 of uniformity of culture among the Eskimo, despit( 

 their vast extension over some 5000 miles of coa: 

 line, but the similarity between the seal-hunting app 

 ances of the Alaskan Eskimo and West Greenlande 

 is none the less striking; the same talent for drawin; 

 and the custom of vying with each other in composin 

 songs are met with among both groups. 





