202 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. LII. No. 1339 



with statistics showing the frequency of 

 wounds in certain locations and its bearing 

 on the armor problem. 



The utilitarian side is shown and the 

 advantages and disadvantages are carefully 

 weighed. Of interest to metallurgists are 

 tables showing the ballistic values of various 

 metals used for armor and one interesting 

 chapter is devoted to the subject of " yield- 

 ing " armor, such as padded cotton and silk 

 fiber. Indeed the matter is viewed both from 

 a distance and in minute detail. 



The experimental types of armor of all 

 countries are shown and reasons given for 

 their success or failure. 



Dr. Dean's summary and conclusions are of 

 particular interest. He believes that we have 

 not as yet solved the problem of providing the 

 best alloy for armor and that the end, as far 

 as the improvement of thin plate for ballistic 

 use, is not yet in sight. 



The old struggle between bullet-proof 

 armor and armor-piercing bullets is still on, 

 although at the present time the armor seems 

 to have the advantage. 



The question of the best form of the Amer- 

 ican helmet is also considered. At present 

 we are still using the British helmet and 

 American experts agree that this model does 

 not give sufficient protection to the back and 

 sides of the head. Moreover, a national type 

 should be adopted. 



The question as to whether armor will be 

 used in the future hinges not a little on the 

 problem of getting transports to the front. 

 The infantry-man carries a maximum nec- 

 essary load without his armor which would 

 therefore have to be sent up to him. 



Considerable prejudice among the men also 

 accounts for the unpopularity of armor — they 

 do not wish to be burdened with it and would 

 rather take the chances on being hit. But as 

 the author puts it, if they can be made to see 

 that it is really worth while, this prejudice 

 may be overcome. 



Dr. Dean, from his careful study of ancient 

 armor and his practical knowledge of modern 

 conditions, is qualified to speak with authority 

 on the subject. In designing the modern hel- 



mets, a comparative study was made of the 

 more ancient ones in the Armor Hall of the 

 Metropolitan Musexun of Art. Diagrams 

 showing the development of armor were used 

 and every type of helmet used with success 

 in the past was carefully studied. If it 

 seemed practical, a modern adaptation was 

 designed and beaten out by hand. Due 

 allowance was made in the design for its 

 eventually being pressed out in millions by 

 modern machinery. By this common-sense 

 method Dr. Dean was able, in a compara- 

 tively short time, to weed out the impractical 

 forms and to develop a modern type of armor 

 made by machinery for modern warfare. 



Who can say, but what it may not yet be 

 used? 



DwiGHT Franklin 



SPECIAL ARTICLES 



DECOMPOSITION OF HYDROGEN PEROXIDE 

 BY ORGANIC COMPOUNDS AND ITS BEAR- 

 ING ON THE CATALASE REACTION 



The last few years have witnessed a revival 

 of unusual interest in the oxidizing enzymes 

 and more particularly in catalase. The cata- 

 lase reaction derives its interest from the fact 

 that according to recent interpretations it is 

 supposed to be a measure of the metabolic 

 function of living matter. This view, enter- 

 tained some twenty-odd years ago by Spitzer,^ 

 has been given much currency in late years 

 by Burge whose numerous contributions to 

 this topic are well known. 



Considering the process of intracellular 

 oxidation which is still very obscure it is pos- 

 sible to recognize three factors or enzymes in- 

 volved in some way or other in the reaction. 

 Of these the oxidases afFect the oxidation of 

 easily oxidizable substances directly; the per- 

 oxidases accomplish this indirectly by activat- 

 ing part of the oxygen of peroxides; lastly, 

 the catalases by decomposing peroxides lib- 

 erate inactive or molecular oxygen. It was 

 in this sense that Loew^ employed the designa- 

 tion "catalase '' for the enzyme which may 

 ultimately turn out to have no relation to the 



1 Spitzer, ArcJi. ges. Fliysiol., 67, 615-656, 1897. 



2 Loew, Report 68, XJ. S. Department of Agricul- 

 ture, 1901. 



