medical term, much less find the term. chosen wisely; they include photometry MODERN BIOLOGYIN REViEW, by Maurice The entry "chest," for example, de- and absorptiometry, recorders, the Bleifeld. 2nd ed., 1969. Barron's Edu- fines it as "thorax," and the entry measurement of pH, detection of radio- cational Series, Inc., Woodbury, N.Y. further indicates that "thorax" is of active isotopes, chromatography and 190 pp. $2.25. Greek origin and is used in several electrophoresis, and centrifuges. (One HoW TO PREPAREFOR THE COLLEGEBoARD forms in medical terms. The forms misses a chapter on microscopy). Each ACHIEVEMENTTESTS: BIOLOGY,by Mau- listed are thorac-, thoracico-, and chapter opens with a very brief discus- rice Bleifeld. Revised ed., 1969. Bar- thoraco-. Several examples of the use sion of the underlying principles. This ron's Educational Series, Inc., Wood- of these combining forms in medical is followed by descriptions of repre- bury, N.Y. 288 pp. $2.75. terms are given: thoracalgia, thor- sentative instruments, some practical The first 183 pages of each of these acicohumeral, thoracocentesis, thora- hints about their operation, and a set volumes are identical and are divided colysis; and each of the examples is of questions. Unfortunately, the quality into 11 units and 38 short chapters of followed by a definition. But the dic- of the chapters is uneven: some, such biologic fundamentals. The biology-re- tionary would be more useful to the as the one on photometry and absorp- view volume has been revised to pre- layman attempting to dissect medical tiometry, give enough information to be sent a system of classification based on vocabulary if an entry had been made of real value; others, such as the one on three kingdoms-plants, animals, and for "thorax." Then, if a meaning was centrifuges, do not. The reader can protists-and information in keeping wanted for "thoracalgia" or "thora- hardly discern, in the latter case, that with modern concepts of the cell, bio- cicohumeral," further investigation of there exists a wide variety of centri- chemistry, genetics, evolution, and entries for "-algia" or "-humeral" fuges-clinical, high speed, refrigerated, ecology. Each chapter concludes with analytical, and preparative ultra- and about 15 multiple-choice questions, with could be used. (There is an entry for Downloaded from http://online.ucpress.edu/abt/article-pdf/32/7/436/27439/4443181.pdf by guest on 30 September 2021 answers designed to review the ma- "humerus" but none for "-algia.") zonal centrifuges. Similarly, the discus- terial. The test-preparation volume Throughout the 167 pages of entries sion of chromatography is essentially contains, for practice, 10 simulated Col- many combining forms, which are the confined to gas chromatography; and as for electrophoresis, only paper and lege Board achievement tests, each con- building blocks of medical and biolog- 109 to cellulose acetate media are mentioned. sisting of items designed test ical terms, are presented. It is just seven basic abilities. Most of the items The book concludes with a difficult to find them. However, it must chapter are devoted to measuring ability to re- of on be stated that the book would be of hints shopwork and a series of call facts and demonstrate understand- value to those individuals-researchers handy appendices. ing of basic principles. The answer sec- or authors-who must coin new terms. To whom would such a book be use- tion for each test contains brief ex- The format seems more conducive to ful? Certainly not to the practicing planations of why the keyed answers this use than to the analysis of medical biologist who seeks more knowledge are correct responses. terms. about a particular kind of instrumenta- The student preparing for College The dictionary would have limited tion. Nor would a student, setting out Board achievement tests should find the use in the high school classroom but to learn about those gleaming gadgets second volume useful. This is true could prove of value on the library on his own, find much to sink his teeth even though some of the test items are reference shelf. into. Perhaps the book does have a role repetitious of a single theme; for exam- Harold G. Liebherr as a textbook in a "once-over-lightly" ple, most of the items designed to test Nicolet High School course designed to introduce students ability to handle quantitative relation- Milwaukee, Wis. to instrumentation; however, the in- ships are quite similar and all deal with structor would have to supplement it heredity. quite heavily with ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES OF LABORATORY lectures and demQn- Harold Durst strations. INSTRUMENTS, by Leslie W. Lee. 2nd Kansas State Teachers College ed., 1970. C. V. Mosby Co., St. Louis. Werner G. Heim Emporia 225 pp. $10.00. Colorado College This reviewer has long looked for a Colorado Springs good book dealing with the principal instruments used in the biology labora- SCIENCE DICTIONARYOF THE ANIMAL WORLD, GENETICS tory. Books currently on the market by Michael Chinery. 1969. Franklin Watts, Inc. New York. 288 $4.95. seem to fall into two categories: either pp. HETEROSPECIFICGENOME INTERACTION, ed. they are so overburdened with theory by Vittorio Defendi. 1969. Wistar In- as to be almost useless at the practical SCIENCE DICTIONARY OF THE PLANT WORLD stitute Symposium Monograph No. 9. level or they are so elementary as to [same author and publisher]. 264 pp. Wistar Institute Press, Philadelphia, yield little information except to the $4.95. Pa. 180 pp. $7.50. extreme novice. The present work These are full-color illustrated dic- Methods developed during the past shows the latter fault-but it does have tionaries for junior and senior high decade for hybridizing somatic mam- some redeeming features. school students, originally published in malian cells provide a new means for An introductory chapter presents 1966 in England. This kind of publica- analyzing hereditary material. This some basic principles of electricity and tion can be a valuable resource for the monograph is a record of a symposium electronics. The treatment is simple: all student: the illustrations help tremen- of workers doing this research. Two of mathematics above the level of ninth- dously in getting across definitions and the papers deal with research using fil- grade algebra is carefully avoided. This descriptions. The two volumes com- amentous fungi and bacteria, 11 papers simplification occasionally leads to dif- prise a general, illustrated glossary for are on mammalian-cell hybrids, and ficulties; for example, in showing how a biology students. the final paper is a philosophic attempt current meter can be used to measure In the plant volume, the illustra- to make a mathematical interpretation electromotive force by means of an ex- tions are usually for anatomic purposes of morphogenesis. ternal resistance, no allowance is made, rather than taxonomic usefulness. A Genetic analysis is possible in somatic in the calculation of the magnitude of critical case can be made for omissions hybrids because, although diploid sets that resistance, for the internal resis- as well as inclusions, but the volumes of chromosomes from both parent-cell tance of the meter. should be useful in the classroom. lines are originally present in hybrids Each of the chapters that follow is Paul Klinge produced by fusing somatic cells of un- devoted to one type of instrument or Indiana University related mammnals, successive genera- general technique. The topics are Bloomington tions of the hybrid clones tend to lose

436 THE AMERICANBIOLOGY TEACHER, OCTOBER 1970 the chromosomes of one of the parents. framework the author has set a per- For example, mouse-human somatic ceptive account of why and how mod- hybrids tend gradually to lose the chro- em biology has come to be an experi- mosomes derived from the human-cell mental science. line. The genetic effects of the chromo- Beginning with Galen's ingenious vi- somes that remain can be analyzed. visection experiments of the 2nd centu- This monograph is for the specialist. ry A.D., various attempts to explain or There is no introductory paper to orient describe "vital activity" are discussed. the reader who is not familiar with the For example, in embryology there is an literature on the subject. Biologists who excellent summary of Harvey's experi- have not done research in the field but ments of the 17th century and of the wish to learn about this research or particulate theories of the 18th. Be- who wish to use the monograph in a cause the "animal-machine" analogy seminar course will find a review paper was tried by some biologists and found by Boris Ephrussi and Mary C. Weiss, wanting, there was a temporary return in the April 1969 Scientific American, to forms of "vitalism." The author also a useful introduction to this mono- sees as fundamentally important the graph. 19th-century work of Fransois Magen- John M. Hamilton die in physiology, of Justus Liebig in Park College organic chemistry, and, particularly, of

Parkville, Mo. Claude Bernard, whose Introduction to Downloaded from http://online.ucpress.edu/abt/article-pdf/32/7/436/27439/4443181.pdf by guest on 30 September 2021 Experimental Medicine (1865) culmi- FACETS OF GENETICS: READINGS FROM SCI- nates the trends discussed. ENTIFIC AMERICAN ed. by Adrian M. Despite its small size-a distillation Srb, Ray D. Owen, and Robert S. Ed- of many ideas, but not episodic-this the blood sucking moth gar. 1970. W. H. Freeman and Co., book is a handy source for finding out what past biologists thought about such Not all moths are innocuous nectar eaters. In Malaya New York. 354 pp. $10.00 hardback, there is a species that lives on blood. Its blood-drilling $5.45 softback. matters as muscular contraction, diges- tion, the nervous system, respiration, mechanism-unique in the entire insect world-pierces The high standards of Scientific the hide of buffalo and tapir! In his fascinating article in American are exemplified in this vol- plant nutrition, the blood, and the ap- plication of mathematics. There are FAUNA,the Swiss entomologistwho discoveredthese facts ume. The articles are written by in- fully explains the moth's evolution, feeding habits and are in the forefront small lapses that the purist might no- vestigators who of unique structure for the first time And his research in their fields. The tice: Galen's alleged venous "ebb and published. editors vivid illustrations are superb. But the blood wisely chose articles that give a broad flow" is maintained, and Harvey's de- sucking moth view of modern genetics but omitted pendence on Galen and Aristotle to is just one of many exciting new discoveries reported those that are chiefly biochemical or support his arguments is missing. This in FAUNA. biophysical. They have included the book deserves wide attention in college FAUNAis a new magazine and a new concept-it is both expected articles on transformation, biology and high school advanced- a scientific journal and a popular magazine. Writtenand transduction, the genetic code, and biology classes. edited by professional zoologists, it brings you the latest chromosome puffing, as well as some Richard P. Aulie discoveries reported by the researchers who make them. unexpected ones, such as "Porphyria Chicago State College All articles in FAUNAare written in depth, but in non- and III" and "The technical terms, and have the finest illustrations King George Preven- ANDREAS VESALIUS, FATHER OF MODERN tion of 'Rhesus' Babies." imaginable. Readable, stimulating, but not superficial, ANATOMY, by Jerome Tarshis. 1969. they reveal a thoroughpicture coveringall aspects of wild The articles are grouped into five Dial Press, Inc., New York. 144 pp. sections: elements of inheritance; the animal life-ecology, physiology,ethology, distribution and $3.95. evolution. FAUNAalso has literature abstracts, book nature of the gene; from gene to or- The De Humani Corporis Fabrica ganism; genetics and evolution; and reviews, detailed annual indexes. [On the Structure of the Human Body] FAUNA'spurpose? To bridge the gap between specialized genetics and man. The introductions to is the monumental achievement of An- each of the sections tie the articles to- technical journals and popular nature magazines. FAUNA dreas Vesalius, a zealous young man will keep you informedof the newest zoological discoveries, gether to make cohesive units. The bio- in 16th-century Italy. It was the first serve as your indispensable teaching aid, and remain a graphic notes and bibliographies add thorough text of human anatomy, com- valuable permanent reference. It is different from any to the book's usefulness. pletely illustrated, that was based on This volume could provide the basis dissections of the human body. Every periodical published. for an exciting course or seminar in high school biology teacher and student Learn about blood sucking moths and the variety of genetics; or it could be used as sup- ought to know why Vesalius and his intriguing animals that await you in FAUNA'sfirst issue. plementary reading. Any biology teach- work are important: the use of illus- And more discoveries are coming. Orderyour Charter er should find it useful as a reference. trations for teaching purposes, original Subscription and discover for yourself the entire Margaret Watson observations as a basis for correct con- fascinating world of FAUNA. Simpson College clusions, and dissections to develop and Indianola, Iowa FAUNAis published bimonthly.Your Charter Subscription answer questions rather than to verify will begin with the first issue, January 1971, if ordered by a text authority. Vesalius knew what is November 10th 1970. Rate, $9 per year. Special Student HISTORYAND PHILOSOPHY meant by Rate, $6 per year,applies to persons enrolled full-timeand "inquiry." who state the name of school attended and class withorder. THE RISE OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY, by The author shows, however, that the Add $2 for postage outside U.S.A.and Canada. Please Elizabeth Gasking. 1970.In "Studies in Fabrica (1543) did not spring forth mention Zip Code and send check with your order or the History of Science" series. Ran- suddenly. The interesting details of request a bill. dom House, New York. 178 pp. $2.50. Vesalius' life, including his ability as a FAUNA/ P.O. Box 895, Rancho Mirage, California 92270 This thoughtful book is a good exam- translator and classical scholar, are set ple of what the history of biology is: in a context of significant trends in an interpretation of the past rather than pre-Vesalian anatomy, the rise of dis- a chronology of discoveries. Experi- sections before his time, and the re- mental biology is viewed as a conceptu- newed study of Galen, which marked a al approach that explains observed facts, forward movement. The author thus evokes new discoveries, and is adapt- displays a sound grasp of Renaissance able to new discoveries. Within this anatomy. ~FAUNA lbe zooloyjeal/ magazine