184 
Book  Reviews. 
f  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
t      April,  1914. 
opinion,  the  assimilation  of  albumin  runs  parallel  with  the  assimila- 
tion of  phosphoric  acid  and  the  diminution  of  the  albuminous  sub- 
stances. This  phenomenon  shows  that  lecithin  promotes  the  organi- 
sation of  albumin, — e.g.,  its  transformation  into  tissue-albumin. 
This  transition  of  absorbed  into  organised  albumin  must,  accord- 
ing to  Umikoff  and  SlowtzofT,  be  considered  as  being  due  to  the 
addition  to  the  albumin  of  phosphoric  acid  and  xanthin  bodies. 
Thus,  according  to  SlowtzofT,  lecithin  acts  favourably  upon  this  or- 
ganisation, and  it  is  comprehensible  for  the  increased  assimilation 
of  albumin  to  be  accompanied  by  the  retention  of  xanthin  bodies 
and  of  phosphoric  acid. 
BOOK  REVIEWS. 
Allen's  Commercial  Organic  Analysis.  Vol.  III.  Enzymes, 
Proteins  and  Albuminoid  Substances,  Milk  and  Milk  Products,  Meat 
and  Meat  Products,  Haemoglobin  and  Blood,  Proteids  and  Fibroids. 
Edited  by  W.  A.  Davis  and  Samuel  S.  Sadtler  and  the  following 
contributors :  E.  F.  Armstrong,  S.  B.  Schryver,  L.  L.  van  Slyke, 
Henry  LefTmann,  Cecil  Revis,  W.  D.  Richardson,  J.  A.  Gardner, 
E.  R.  Bolton,  G.  A.  Buckmaster,  W.  P.  Dreaper  and  Jerome  Alex- 
ander. Philadelphia:  P.  Blakiston's  Son  &  Co.,  1012  Walnut  Street. 
1913.    $5.00  net. 
This  is  another  volume  of  Allen's  Commercial  Organic  Analysis 
which  contains  very  much  matter  of  special  interest  to  pharma- 
cists. Indeed,  every  article  contains  information  that  is  likely  to  be 
wanted  either  for  purposes  of  manufacture  or  in  analytical  work. 
The  article  on  haemoglobin  and  its  derivatives,  by  John  A.  Gardner 
and  George  A.  Buckmaster,  is  one  of  the  most  succinct  articles  on 
the  practical  examination  of  blood  that  we  have  seen.  A  similar 
commendation  may  be  made  of  the  articles  on  "  Proteins  of  Milk,"  by 
L.  L.  van  Slyke,  "  Milk,"  by  Dr.  Henry  LefTmann,  "  Milk  Prod- 
ucts," by  C.  Revis  and  E.  R.  Bolton,  and  "  Meat  and  Meat  Products," 
by  W.  D.  Richardson. 
In  addition  to  the  article  on  the  "  Proteins  of  Milk  "  there  are 
two  other  chapters  on  these  highly  complex  nitrogenous  substances. 
The  one  on  "  The  Proteins  and  Albuminoid  Substances  "  by  S.  B. 
Schryver  and  the  other  on  "  Proteins  of  Plants  "  by  J.  Frankland 
Armstrong.    While  the  monograph  on  plant  proteins  may  not  con- 
