Book Reviews (Edited ky A. R. Brownlie) ANOTHER POISON PACKAGE Forensic Toxicology Ed. John S. Oliner (Croomhelm, London, 1980, 320 pp., index, £14.50) This book is an edited record of the Proceedings of the European Meeting of the International Association of Forensic Toxicologists held in Glasgow, Scotland in 1979. As might be expected of such a publication there is a wide range in the standard of papers included. The areas covered include critical assessments of analytical systems usually employing TLC, GLC, MS and HPLC with a view to rationalising an approach to the identification of the general unknown poison. The detailed development of assays for specific drugs, employing largely chromatographic procedures, is also reported, while an assessment of the practicalities of various extraction procedures is highlighted. The value of immunological tests (EMIT, RIA) in routine screening for drugs is also described. The volume is largely an expression of the application of recent developments in toxicology and exposes the areas of weakness parti- cularly in respect of interpretation of analytical results. The book is very well presented for a volume of this type and credit should be given to the editor and publishers. In these days of spiralling costs it is amazing that the price of the book has been kept at such a level. In conclusion this book can be recommended for the overview of toxicology which it describes and for its ability to offer to the researcher a ready reference source for specific areas of investigation. BRIAN CADDY HAVE YOU SEE THIS MAN? Bible John: Search for a Sadist Charles Stoddart (Paul Harris, Edinburgh, 1980, 151 pp., index, £4.95) Many books are written about crimes and criminal trials. This book concerns the unsolved murders committed in Glasgow by a sadistic killer who if he is alive is still atlarge. The three murders are described, the murder hunt, the police procedures, the role of the press in the investigation, the attempt to build up a complete picture of the assailant, and even the involvement of a clairvoyant. In an appendix the late Dr R. P. Brittain's well known paper on "The Sadistic Murderer" is reproduced. It well describes the unknown killer who because of his scriptural allusions became known as Bible John. Mr. Stoddart, a young Scottish lawyer, writes engagingly on these themes and embellishes the narrative with references to other celebrated criminal cases. His book would be of particular interest to police readers.

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Book Reviews

(Edited ky A. R. Brownlie)

ANOTHER POISON PACKAGE

Forensic Toxicology Ed. John S. Oliner (Croomhelm, London, 1980, 320 pp., index, £14.50)

This book is an edited record of the Proceedings of the European Meeting of the International Association of Forensic Toxicologists held in Glasgow, Scotland in 1979. As might be expected of such a publication there is a wide range in the standard of papers included. The areas covered include critical assessments of analytical systems usually employing TLC, GLC, MS and HPLC with a view to rationalising an approach to the identification of the general unknown poison. The detailed development of assays for specific drugs, employing largely chromatographic procedures, is also reported, while an assessment of the practicalities of various extraction procedures is highlighted. The value of immunological tests (EMIT, RIA) in routine screening for drugs is also described. The volume is largely an expression of the application of recent developments in toxicology and exposes the areas of weakness parti- cularly in respect of interpretation of analytical results.

The book is very well presented for a volume of this type and credit should be given to the editor and publishers. In these days of spiralling costs it is amazing that the price of the book has been kept at such a level. In conclusion this book can be recommended for the overview of toxicology which it describes and for its ability to offer to the researcher a ready reference source for specific areas of investigation.

BRIAN CADDY

HAVE YOU SEE THIS MAN?

Bible John: Search for a Sadist Charles Stoddart (Paul Harris, Edinburgh, 1980, 151 pp., index, £4.95)

Many books are written about crimes and criminal trials. This book concerns the unsolved murders committed in Glasgow by a sadistic killer who if he is alive is still atlarge. The three murders are described, the murder hunt, the police procedures, the role of the press in the investigation, the attempt to build up a complete picture of the assailant, and even the involvement of a clairvoyant. In an appendix the late Dr R. P. Brittain's well known paper on "The Sadistic Murderer" is reproduced. I t well describes the unknown killer who because of his scriptural allusions became known as Bible John.

Mr. Stoddart, a young Scottish lawyer, writes engagingly on these themes and embellishes the narrative with references to other celebrated criminal cases. His book would be of particular interest to police readers.