balanced, it is claimed that the reaction Na23+016 = K39 can occur. Chickens on a calcium-deficient diet who want to continue laying are said to use the re­action Si2S +C12 = Ca40'

Kervran properly reminds us that our knowledge of biology (or physics, or chemistry) is very limited. Many phe­nomena cannot be understood, and sure­ly great discoveries will continue to be made. However, no definite phenomena requiring explanation are presented in this book. There is no evidence that the author has found the source of the mag­ical philosopher's stone which can trans­mute elements.

This book does not deserve serious attention.

I. Tinoco, Jr., Ph.D., Professor of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley.

The Complete Handbook of Nutrition, Null, G. and Null, S., Robert Speller & Sons, Publishers, Inc., 10 E. 23rd St., New York, NY 10010, 1972, 340 p., $7.95.

This could more appropriately be termed "The Complete Handbook of Food Misinformation." Only rarely are factually correct statements encountered. The authors seem to have learned their nutrition from other self-appointed "au­thorities," 14 in all, to whom the book is dedicated. Of the many books cited as references, only two or three are written by recognized nutrition scientists.

Considerable harm could result if the prohibition against mixing different types of food at one meal were followed, as would literal acceptance of some of the "medical" advice. Although the book cautions the reader against self-diagnosis and treatment it is doubtful that, reading glowing praise for just such treatments, the reader would do otherwise than try them himself.

As a current-day example of folk med­ical beliefs, the book is fascinating read­ing but not recommended for any other reason than entertainment. C.S.W.

The Healing Factor: "Vitamin C" Against Disease, Stone, I., Grosset & Dunlap, Inc., 51 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10010, 1972, 258 p., $6.95.

Stone, who is responsible for convinc­ing Dr. Linus Pauling of the benefits of vitamin C in treating the common cold, has made an extensively documented case for administration of massive doses of this vitamin for maintenance (10 g/ day) and for treatment of many dis­eases including cancer (100 g/day). He

VOL. 6, NO.2, APRIL-JUNE, 1974

postulates that man's inability to syn­thesize ascorbic acid should be viewed as a metabolic disease.

The overt and the "subclinical" defi­ciency resulting in everyone receiving food sources of ascorbic acid can only be corrected by vitamin supplements, ac­cording to the author. He supports his postulate with estimates of amount of the vitamin produced by the rat, the Na­tional Academy of Sciences Recom­mended Daily Allowances for primates other than man, and numerous reports of the effectiveness of massive doses of the vitamin in preventing and curing dis­ease.

The first chapters dealing with the de­velopment of the concept of vitamins and early work with vitamin C are both interesting and useful to those engaged in research who, with the pressing de­mands to keep current, may ignore sig­nificant work done 30 years ago. How­ever, this information-as well as the more recent citations-are not discussed in a critical manner in the book nor is care taken to present an unbiased evalu­ation. As with many writers who desire to convince their audience rather than to instruct them, the blocks to "learning" such as alternate theories or information which refutes the advocated theory were either ignored or de-emphasized. The evidence in support of the theory was greatly overstated with such words as "proved" used in place of the "suggests" of the references cited.

Thus, this text would only be useful for people trained to be critical of didac­tic methods and having a sound knowl­edge of nutrition but can be expected to be greatly misleading for the general public.

Carol I. WasHen, Ph.D., Head, Dept. of Nutrition and Foods, Auburn Uni­versity, Auburn, Ala.

Food and the Consumer: Fact vs. Fancy for Today's Concerned Student and Con­sumer, Kramer, A., The Avi Publishing Co., Inc., P.O. Box 670, Westport, CT 06880, 1973, 250 p., paperback, $7.50.

The author may immediately "turn off" consumer-oriented readers by his preface. He believes the consumer gets the food he wants and . . . "If he pur­chases food that does not provide him

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The Society for Nutrition Education ac­knowledges contributions in support of de­velopment of the Journal of NUTRITION EDUCATION from Hoffmann-LaRoche, Inc., and Safeway Stores, Inc.

with his essential nutrients, or food that is in fact harmful, he has only his own apathy and ignorance to blame." Stay with the book, however, and the highly readable overview of the food industry will be helpful in providing a compara­tive view to those who seem to find nothing worthy about the food industry. The book is not so much a presentation of food facts versus fancies as it is an informative outline of how and why food developed into the forms in which we now know it.

The author presents stimulating ideas on subjects such as utilization of waste products, improved farming and produc­tion methods, and new food sources. The book is weighted toward food science and its ramifications and therefore lacks some as a comprehensive source book for general consumer use. The excellent but brief chapter on food codes and hab­its deserves special consumer attention due to its emphasis on how these forces affect selection of food.

I strongly disagree with the author's suggestion that Adelle Davis's book is in­formative and admirable when many reputable reviewers have found it replete with misinformation and unsubstantiated data.

Observations were frequently made about the factors which increase or de­crease the cost of food to the consumer. These observations would have had more impact and meaning if united in a chap­ter dealing with food costs. Conspicuous­ly missing was any mention of the effect of advertising on the end cost and selec­tion of foods.

Susan Boysen, Home Economist, Con­sumer Interests, Economic Research Service, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Washington, D.C.

Ecology, Food and Civilisation: An Eco­logical History of Human Society, WaI­ters, A. H., Charles Knight & Co. Ltd., 11-12 Bury St., London, EC3A 5AP, England, 1973, 216 p., £2.75.

This small volume touches on almost everything related to ecology, food, and civilization. To me, the book is simply another popular environmental book, loosely written in broad, generalized terms for the general reader. The author hopes, though, that it will generate some basic ideas for a "new universal bio­philosophy."

Walters, a biologist, views agroindus­trial societies as rapidly advancing to­ward a dangerous ecological imbalance with manmade environments undermin­ing natural environments. He writes that

Journal of NUTRITION EDUCATION I 75