This volume is an auspicious start for a new series: The Journal of Chromatography Library. The authors of the Chromatography of Antibiotics are the discoverers of the antibiotics gentamicin and sisomicin. They both have wide experience in the chromatography of antibiotics, especially from the point of view of a microbiologist searching for new antibiotics. The first two chapters demonstrate the authors' interest in this activity. The first section, which deals with the classification of antibiotics by chromatography, is a general review of the literature on this subject with little critical evaluation by the writers. The second section, which deals with the detection of antibiotics on chromatograms, is devoted mainly to bioautographic techniques. This section is an improvement over the first part because the authors present some good suggestions for using this often troublesome, but valuable, technique.
The rest of the book is devoted to a literature search on the TLC, paper chromatography, electrophoresis, countercurrent distribution, and GLC of most known antibiotics. The procedures are presented in a concise, standardized, outline form. Only essential details are presented. However, separation and Rf data reported in the original papers are detailed. Literature references are included, which is helpful for obtaining more details on the procedures cited. In my opinion, this part of the book would have been strengthened if the authors had included some of their own experiences in chromatography. Perhaps they should have indicated which methods they have used and what merits these methods possessed.
This volume does not have any section on the theory, practice, or equipment of chromatography. This lack is not important since so many other sources on how-to-do chromatography are readily available.
Most workers in chromatography will find this a handy, concise compendium of the methods used to chromatograph antibiotics. Scientists searching for a method for separating antibiotics will probably consult this volume before any other.