Abstract
THE rapid advance in our knowledge in every branch of scientific inquiry makes it difficult or impossible for investigators to follow the work which is being carried out in other fields than their own in any great detail. Even in their own particular sphere, they must rely for their knowledge of the literature to a certain extent upon the abstract and review journals. For this reason, we welcome the short monographs on different subjects which are now being published in Paris: the earlier series dealt with problems of physics and physical chemistry, but during the past year various monographs on physiological questions have been issued (Actualites Scientifiques et Industrielles. Nos. 113, 135 and 136, 178 and 179. 1934. Paris: Hermann et Cie). No. 113 in the series, by T. Cahn and J. Houget, gives a short account of the biochemistry of muscular contraction. The four chapters deal with the chemical changes occurring in a muscle extract, in an isolated muscle and in the intact animal during muscular work: the fourth summarises our knowledge. There are no references. Nos. 135 and 136, by Z. M. Bacq, give short accounts of sympathico-mimetic substances and of the hormones and vitamins: bibliographies are included. The first gives a brief account of substances which produce the same, or similar, effects in the body as stimulation of the true sympathetic nerves, and discusses their mode of action. The second reviews briefly our present knowledge of the hormones and vitamins, especially from the point of view of the minuteness of the quantity which is active in the body. Nos. 178 and 179, by F. Kayser, deal with the biochemistry and physiology of creatine and creatinine, including their metabolism in health and disease. The subject is treated more fully than in the other monographs and the bibliography occupies about one third of each volume. Each gives an excellent review of our present knowledge of the functions of these compounds in the body, and is worth perusal by those interested.
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Monographs of Physiology. Nature 136, 63 (1935). https://doi.org/10.1038/136063a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/136063a0