Viii PREFACE TO THE ENGLISH EDITION 



of time interest in these new weapons of research 

 has rapidly increased. Much has been done, for the 

 popularization of these methods, by the kindness 

 which has been shown by Abderhalden and his 

 assistants to all those who were willing to acquaint 

 themselves with the rather complicated technique 

 involved in them. He found room in his institute 

 for all who wanted to come; every written inquiry 

 was promptly answered ; and reagents, such as 

 placenta-albumen and peptone, in the preparation of 

 which some difficulty is met with, were freely sup- 

 plied from his laboratory. 



The conception of " harmony and disharmony ' 

 has been employed by us, in order to represent the 

 meaning we attach to Abderhalden 's terms " fremd ' 

 and ' eigen.' These phrases, though they have 

 been translated literally by some, do not seem to us 

 to be amenable to direct translation. 



In presenting this translation of the latest edition 

 of Abderhalden 's work on defensive ferments, I 

 have been inspired by the hope of being able to excite 

 or further, in regard to this important line of modern 

 research, the interest of many to whom the German 

 text may be inaccessible. 



J. O. GAVRONSKY. 



7, Cambridge Terrace, 



Regent's Park. 

 February 23, 1914. 



