Textbook of Biochemistry
| Author | Alexander Thomas Cameron |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Subject | Biochemistry |
| Publisher | The Macmillan Company |
Publication date | 1928 (1st edition) |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | |
| Pages | 462 |
Textbook of Biochemistry, first published in 1928, is scientific textbook authored by Alexander Thomas Cameron. The textbook became a standard of its field, and, by 1948, had gone through six editions, in addition to one Chinese and two Spanish editions.[1]
Publication
[edit]Textbook of Biochemistry consists entirely of lecture manuscripts given by the author, Alexander Thomas Cameron, over several years.[2] Cameron had lectured at the University of Manitoba since 1909, but was never a fluent speaker.[1] To compensate for this, he would write out his lectures in full.[1] Cameron was encouraged by students and friends to submit his lecture manuscripts for publication.[1] The textbook's first edition was published with a preface by Swale Vincent, Professor of Physiology at the University of London.[2]
Structure
[edit]Textbook of Biochemistry is divided into the following chapters:[2]
- Introduction
Introduction to the concept of biochemistry, and a review of catalytic reactions and pH.
- Food-Stuffs, Their Derivatives and Related Substances.
Ideas regarding carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins.
- The Chemistry of Digestion, the Circulation, and the Excreto.
The importance of bacterial and chemical activity in organisms.
- Intermediate Metabolism
The chemistry of tissues, intracellular synthesis, products of metabolism, and vitamins.
- The Chemistry of Reproduction; The Chemical Controlling Agencies of the Organism.
The agents governing metabolic processes.
- Quantitative Metabolism.
- Addenda.
A review of the present status of immunological biochemistry, and applications of biochemistry in industry.
Reception
[edit]Treat B. Johnson, writing for the Journal of Chemical Education, acknowledged the difficulty of concisely covering the rapidly growing field of biochemistry, but concluded that Cameron has "done quite well."[2] He described Textbook of Biochemistry as "not a book that follows the ordinary logical procedure usually associated with such texts,"[2] and complements Cameron on a "dogmatic treatment which is really stimulating."[2]
The British Medical Journal also gave a favourable review, writing that "the busy medical student will find this book a concise account of the facts with which he is expected to become familiar."[3] However, it also observed that the book contains several statements that are "definitely not in agreement with the facts as at present known."[3] The reviewer contradicts, for example, the book's assertions that urinal ammonia is formed in the kidneys from urea, and that pepsin does not attack the CO-NH links in proteins.[3]
Textbook of Biochemistry, being the first concise and authoritative work in its field, became a standard text.[1] By 1948, it had gone through six editions, in addition to one Chinese and two Spanish editions.[1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f White, F.D. & Collip J.B. (1948) "Obituary Notice: Alexander Thomas Cameron, 1882-1947," Biochemical Journal, 43(1): 1–2
- ^ a b c d e f Johnson, Treat B. (1929) "Recent Books: Textbook of Biochemistry", Journal of Chemical Education, 6(1), p 182
- ^ a b c "Reviews: A Textbook of Biochemistry," The British Medical Journal, Vol. 1, No. 3514 (May 12, 1928), p. 805.
External links
[edit]- Full text of A Textbook of Biochemistry (1st edition) at Internet Archive