The Biological Standardisation of the Vitamins

Abstract

SINCE the early 1930‘s, Dr. Katharine Coward has worked untiringly to popularize sound methods of biological standardization of vitamins. The first edition of her book appeared in 1938. In bringing out the second she has the satisfaction of preaching to the almost converted. The last ten years have seen no spectacular change in the principles of biological assay of vitamins, but much refinement of technique and broadening of scope. Dr. Coward has catered for both, but has followed her original plan of discussing only those tests of which she has personal experience and only those vitamins for which international standards are available. This strictly orthodox approach is perhaps too harshly restrictive ; of the whole gamut of the B vitamins now known in the pure form, vitamin B₁ is the only one considered ; a mention of riboflavin, pyridoxin and pantothenic acid, for which reliable tests are available, would certainly have been useful.

The Biological Standardisation of the Vitamins

By Dr. Katharine H. Coward. Second edition. Pp. vii+224. (London: Baillière, Tindall and Cox, 1947.) 16s. net.