and Therapy.

520 Nuber Ave., Mt. Vernon, N.Y. 10550 914/664-0366 W. Marks’ (Organ.-Chem. Institut der Univ. Saarbri.icken) evaluation of the several instruments made by the Technicon Company comprises chapter 4. The basic AutoAnalyzer princiI ple of air-segmentation and the impetus this gave to continuous-flow analysis is discussed. The modules of the basic system, i.e., the proportioning pump, dialyzer, heating bath, and colorimeter, are described briefly. Components that are not commonly found in clinical laboratories such as the solids sampler, gas sampler, extraction device, continuous filter, distilling device, and digestor are described, and the clinical chemist will benefit from the critical discussion of these devices. The SMA 12/60 multichannel analyzer is described rather briefly and the requirement of reaching “steady state” and “phasing” are given. The 12/60 can be assembled to do 12 tests out of a list of 18 with some limitations. Some dissatisfaction with the cholesterol and enzyme channels is described by the author. The cholesterol reagents attack the tubing and hence change the pumping rate. The enzyme channels produce results that are not comparable to the manually produced values. The SMA 6/60 and the 12/60 micro-scale instrument are mentioned in brief paragraphs with the tests they can do. The “Hemalog” and its repertoire of tests and the CSM 6 for water and sewage analysis are described. The latter instrument and the difficulties involved at the microgram level of analysis are discussed briefly. Finally the CSM for air analysis and the AFS 6 for trace metals are mentioned but not discussed. A bibliography that is available from Technicon in Frankfort/Main is referred to; however, in view of the massive literature on the AutoAnalyzer, a critical list of important papers would have been most welcome. There is no mention at all of some of the important theoretical work that has been done on the AutoAnalyzer by Begg, Thiers, Walker, and others. The last chapter, by F. Oehme (Polymetron AG, Hombrechtikonrich), deals in the main with automating titrimetric methods. The variety of steps from sample preparation (usually dissolution), sampling of solution, titration, end-point indication, and result recording are dealt with in detail. Total automation is often difficult in view of filtration steps that may be needed, degassing, dilution and (or) sampling of specimeim, correct recognition of the endpoint, etc. Most methods rely on potentiometry, and the latter technique has been the most successful in automated systems for end-point detection. Conductimetry, polarography, and photometry do not lend themselves well to automated titration. Oehme gives a critical analysis of automated titration techniques and describes sources of error, limits of accuracy, and lists successful applications. The orientation is not toward clinical chemistry, but rather toward quality control of industrial processes. The chapter and the references at the end (to about early 1970) can be a good starting point for anyone contemplating the use of this technique.