PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. 871 



cannot be successfully applied to the phenomena of intelligence, and the sooner 

 and more definitely this is realised the better for Physiology. 



In conclusion, let me endeavour to state shortly the main contention which 

 I have endeavoured to place before you. It is that in Physiology, and Biology 

 generally, we are dealing with phenomena which, so far as our present knowledge 

 goes, not only differ in complexity, but differ in kind from physical and chemical 

 phenomena ; and that the fundamental working hypothesis of Physiology must 

 differ correspondingly from those of Physics and Chemistry. 



That a meeting-point between Biology and Physical Science may at some time 

 be found, there is no reason for doubting. But we may confidently predict that 

 if that meeting-point is found, and one of the two sciences is swallowed up, that 

 one will not be Biology. 



The following Papers and Reports were tben read : — 



1. Proprio-ceptive Reflexes of the Limb. 

 By Professor C. S. Sheerington, F.B.S. 



2. Final Report on the ' Metabolic Balance Sheet ' of the Individual Tissues, 



^ee Reports, p. 436. 



3. Report on the Effect of Climate iipon Health and Disease, 

 See Reports, p. 442. 



4. The Physics of High Altitudes in relation to Climate and Health, 

 By Michael C. Gbabham, M.D. 



This paper dealt with the physiological influence of electrical tension in asso- 

 ciation with tissue change, secretion, and cerebral and nerve stimulation, and 

 associates the lassitude experienced in cloudy humidity and also in the excessive 

 dryness of the easterly currents with the low difl'erence of potentials in the 

 atmospheric electrical charge which prevails in each of these conditions. 



The author touched upon the well-known increase of the red corpuscles of the 

 blood in mountain altitudes, and correlates the experiments of Dr. Frankland and 

 Professor Tyndall on combustion and luminosity with his own elimination of the 

 influence of aqueous vapour in these experiments to show that the union of 

 O and C is not lessened in rarefied air, and that the more perfect combustion 

 obtained is due to greater molecular freedom and a lessened pressure-promptness 

 of action compensating for sparseness of particles. Such an influence cannot 

 be overlooked as an exciting stimulus within the human body, for there can be 

 no reason to assign a lesser power of combination to the unrestrained oxygen 

 within the air-cells than it shows in penetrating to the central unburnt gases of 

 the candle-flame. 



5, Report on the Ductless Glands. — See Reports, p. 440. 



6. Certain Factors in the Glomerular Secretion of the Kidneys, 

 By Professor A. B. Macallum, F.R,S. 



