THE NEW PHYSIOLOGY. 57 



with life. The progress of experimental physiology 

 since that time has effectually shown that this was only 

 a dream, and physiologists are now awakening from the 

 dream. 



But we are also awakening from another dream. 

 About the middle of last century it seemed as if, in the 

 current conceptions of matter and energy, we had 

 reached finality as regards the inorganic world. The 

 chemical atom, on the one hand, and the varying energy 

 associated with it, on the other, seemed to represent 

 bedrock reality — a reality including not merely inorganic 

 but also organic phenomena. Discoveries connected 

 more particularly with electrical and electro-chemical 

 phenomena, the periodic law, and radio-activity are 

 awakening us from this dream also. The supposed 

 bed-rock reality of a former generation seems to be 

 melting down before our eyes. The solvent has been 

 the study of particular phenomena, such as those of 

 radio-activity. The professional physicists and chemists 

 have hitherto kept away from the serious study of life. 

 For the most part they have regarded life as something 

 apart, or as a complex physical and chemical pheno- 

 menon which is not likely to throw any light on the 

 deeper problems of physics and chemistry. In this 

 attitude I think that they have been mistaken ; but 

 in any case it is evident that we must guard against, 

 the quite unwarranted assumption that the only possi- 

 bility of advance in physiology is by the direct applica- 

 tion to life of the physical and chemical ideas which 

 held unchallenged sway for so many years. 



In this reference I should like to reply to some remarks, 

 made partly with reference to my writings, by my friend 



