714 FRANCIS H. McCEUDDEN 



papers are devoted to demonstrating that the opponents of the new view 

 are wrong. Pfliiger(/) and also Stinzing opposed especially the con- 

 tentions of Ludwig and his pupils (Ludwig and Schmidt), that the oxi- 

 dation in the muscles is proportional to the velocity of the blood, and 

 that during suffocation the blood contains products of incomplete oxida- 

 tion. He seems to have overcome opposition to the new view toward 

 the end of this period, for later papers (Pfliiger(p) (r)) are directed 

 largely at those in Iloppe-Seyler's laboratory especially (Takacs) who 

 dispute claims for priority. 



With the opening of his new Institute in 1878, Pfliiger seems to have 

 concluded his work on respiration and turned his attention to other prob- 

 lems. Judging by a statement from Hoppe-Seyler's laboratory in 1878, 

 the new view seems to have gained general acceptance at this time. Lud- 

 wig, however, remained unconvinced, and maintained his stand up to 

 1895, the year of his death (Lusk(/)). 



It is difficult to determine precisely who should be given credit for 

 teaching us the truth regarding this matter. The question of the cause 

 of oxidation and that of the place of oxidation though two separate ques- 

 tions are not clearly separated in the early discussions. And the ques- 

 tion arises, moreover, not only : who first taught the truth as a matter of 

 belief? but also: who first experimentally established the facts upon 

 which the truth could be based ? Physiologists commonly give Pfliiger 

 credit for first demonstrating the truth regarding oxidation. As a mat- 

 ter of fact Voit first taught the truth ; but Pfliiger overcame opposition and 

 convinced the scientific world. But the echoes of the fierce polemics of 

 the '70's over these questions have not yet wholly died out. 7 



Though the facts in this important controversy were determined to 

 the satisfaction of physiologists over forty years ago, and the controversy 

 came to an end, the truth is not as widely known as it should be. Not only 

 in the lay press, where we learn regarding the relations between "correct 

 breathing," and the "laws of health" that "deep breathing is advisable 

 in cold weather, because deep breathing stimulates the metabolism and 

 thereby develops heat;" but also in the very recent medical journals, 

 we find reference to the production of products of incomplete oxidation 

 in heart disease (Peabody(c) (d) (e) (/), Pike), asthma (Zugsmith and 

 Kahn(6)), arteriosclerosis (Barille), and shell shock ( Cannon (d)~). 



Briefly stated, the facts are that to do a certain amount of work, or 

 to develop a certain amount of heat involves the expenditure of a definite 

 quantity of energy, and this requires the oxidation of certain amounts of 

 carbohydrate, protein and fat. The volume of oxygen used up, and the 

 volume of carbon dioxid formed in the oxidation of these foodstuffs are. 



'One of Volt's pupils has recently assigned 1877 as the date of Pfliiger's recog- 

 nition of the truth (Lusk(a)), whereas Pfliiger (e) was disputing claims of priority 

 with Voit as early as 1872. . 



