SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 
7. 
are also readily identified under the microscope. Although it is not the purpose 
of the present book to go beyond the strictly chemical or physical processes 
involved in making the analyses, because the sole object of the examinations 
is to-ascertain whether or not such article of food conforms to certain standard 
of purity, fixed, in some cases, by special law, and in other cases by common 
usage or acceptance. In the examination of such. substances as eges, milk, 
preserved foods, canned products—vegetables, fruit, pulp, jams, and jellies—- 
meats and sauces, chemical methods alone do not afford a satisfactory examina- 
tion. It is stated that the public analyst need not concern himself with the 
dietetic Value of the food, or whether it is of high or low grade. It is for him 
to determine simply whether it is genuine or adulterated within the meaning 
of the law—how, and to what extent. Nevertheless, we find a chapter on “ Food: 
its function, proximate components, and nutritive value” included. Though 
short (13 pages), it is clear and good, and is an indication that the author 
recognises that something more than’ mere analysis is necessary. The Food 
Chemist should work in conjunction with the Physiologist. and Bacteriologist, 
and must thoroughly understand the use of the microscope. The microscopical 
part of the present edition is mainly devoted to the section on cereals and 
their products, tea, coffee, cocoas, and spices, and follows the accepted methods. 
Yo supplement this, 158 photomicrographs have been included, but, unfortunately, 
these are very much below the standard of the book—in fact many are quite 
useless (131, 136, 188, 157, 161, 204, 254); and others appear to have been 
taken out of focus (165, 166). Generally, too much has been included in each 
field, ‘and all contrasts are lacking. With the body of the text, however, the 
author deserves very great commendation. The information is verv extensive, 
and all manner of tables of analyses, equivalents, specific gravities, optical 
constants, sugars, colours, alcohols, &c.. are to be found. ‘The official, positions 
_of both the original author and the reviser are sufficient guarantee that the 
book is thoroughly practical and accurate. Where many methods are given for 
an examination, it might be of some value if the author’s preference were 
indicated. At the present time, we have to rely on the official method adopted | 
by the American associations. In addition to the chapters already mentioned, 
there are others on edible oils and fats, alcoholic beverages, food preservatives, 
artificial sweeteners, flavouring extracts, milk and milk’ products, apparatus and 
methods, &c. The chapter on artificial food colours is very useful, and a final - 
chapter on the determination of acidity by means of the hydrogen electrode 
(ion concentration) and its value and applications is given. One hundred and 
twenty text figures are included. The book will, no doubt, form a standard 
reference book for the analytical chemist. and in addition will be a guide for 
others, such as the pharmacist, physiologist, and manufacturer. 
SOME PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED. 
The Peat Resources of Ireland, Special Report No. 2, issued by the Fuel 
Research Board. In a lecture before the Royal Dublin Society, Professor Pierce 
F. Purcell discussed the problems involved in dealing with a natural material 
more than nine-tenths of which is water. The changed conditions which affect 
the cost of winning coal will also affect that of peat production. Recent attempts 
made in Canada and Germany in the application of mechanical methods to the 
winning of peat have shown that a considerable measure of success has: been 
attained, and, so far as Treland is concerned, the conditions have now placed 
peat in a more favorable position to compete with coal. ~ - 
- A Oritical Revision of the Genus Bucalyptus, by J. WH. Maiden, I.S.0.. F.R.S. 
¥.L.S—Part XLI. of the complete work. with four plates. The species described 
are FW. latifolia, BH. Foelscheana, fi. Abergiana, BH. pachyphylla, E. pyriformis 
yar. Kingsmilli Maiden, HE. Oldfieldii, and 2. Drummondii Bentham. 
Report of the Inter-Departmental Committee on Research and Development 
in the Dependencies of the Falkland Islands—Recommendations are made, inter 
alia, for research work in connexion with the whaling and sealing industries, and 
with regard to hydrography, meteorology. and magnetism, and geology and 
mineralogy. Whale oil to the value of £1,500.000 was shipped from the Falk- 
land Islands in 1917-18, and during the same period guano of an equal monetary 
value was obtained. 
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