420 PHYSIOLOGY 



physics and chemistry. The physiologist looks more and more to chem- 

 istry, physics, and physical chemistry for suggestions and methods. 

 How can it be otherwise, if the current statement be true that physi- 

 ology in the long run has to explain the physics and chemistry of 

 living matter? The truth of this point of view will be apparent to any 

 one who will trace the development of physiology, and it is brought 

 forcibly to the mind of every teacher of the subject when he attempts 

 to direct the training of one who looks forward to a career as a special- 

 ist in physiology. I believe that every physiologist feels that the chief 

 preparatory training in his subject should consist in a thorough 

 grounding in physics and in chemistry. If many of the results of recent 

 physiological investigations have not been as decisive as we would 

 wish, is it not probable, nay, almost certain, that the fault lies not in 

 the nature of the problems investigated, nor altogether in the character 

 of the experimental methods employed, but in the inadequate training 

 of the workers? If our investigators were better equipped in the 

 matter of technical training, there would perhaps be less cause for 

 complaint on the score of results, for in physiology, as in the other 

 experimental sciences, the number of problems that may be studied by 

 known methods is very large, one might almost say indefinitely large. 

 We need in physiology not only the great experimenters like Ludwig 

 and Bernard, men with an inborn spirit of curiosity and a talent for 

 experimental inquiry, but also a large number of productive investiga- 

 tors whose capacity may be of a lower order, but whose training shall 

 be complete enough to insure the acquisition of exact and positive 

 results. 



If, as I believe, every one will admit the correctness of the facts 

 stated above regarding the tendency of modern physiology to 

 imitate closely the methods used in physical and chemical investi- 

 gations, the only point to be considered in this connection is whether 

 or not this tendency is premature. Is physiology, in fact, in a suffi- 

 ciently developed state to employ the methods of the exact sciences? 

 After all, most of the criticism regarding current physiological 

 investigation seems to carry with it the implication that in great 

 part at least the subject as yet is not prepared for the quantitative 

 methods of the other experimental sciences. In considering this 

 point much depends necessarily upon the meaning one gives to the 

 term physical and chemical methods. If we restrict this term to 

 purely physical or chemical studies of living matter in the cell or 

 in the organism, the contention of those who are dissatisfied with 

 the results of recent work is more readily understood, although, 

 in my opinion, far from being justified. Dealing with a substance 

 whose composition is very complex and unstable, and whose struc- 

 ture is not known, it is apparent that rapid progress cannot be 

 expected and exact results cannot often be obtained even by the 



