K F. W. Pjiiiger. 



Ill 



His attack on the neuron doctrine, and more recently on the work of Emil 

 Fischer, are cases in point. Those interested in the knowledge of protein 

 chemistry, which had its inception in Fischer's remarkable work, are hoping 

 that by a continuation of that work one of the most difficult of biochemical 

 questions will sliortly be solved. The paper from Pfiiiger's versatile pen is 

 certainly entitled to the fullest respect and consideration, but we must 

 remember that Pfliiger many years ago had a theory of protein constitution 

 which is now of historical interest only ; his views on the work of Fischer, 

 Abderhalden and their disciples are therefore not unexpectedly pessimistic, 

 for he doubts whether their gigantic array of experiments brings us any 

 nearer to a solution of the problem. Pfliiger adopted as the only certain test 

 for a protein its capacity to maintain life and enter into the composition of 

 protoplasm. If such a definition is accepted, gelatin, protamines, the whole of 

 the poisonous proteins, the proteoses and polypeptides must be excluded from 

 the protein family. This definition strikes one as too narrow and too 

 biological ; it is quite possible chat members of a group may possess chemical 

 characters in common which justify the use of a general name, and yet they 

 may have a very different physiological action. This is admitted for sub- 

 stances of which the chemical constitution is known, and it is no great stretch 

 of the imagination to conceive the same to be true of substances which, like 

 the proteins, are still in chemical darkness. 



But an obituary notice is not the place for a discussion of difficulties of this 

 kind. Much of what Pfliiger did will certainly stand the severest of all tests, 

 that of time, and his name will be handed down as one of the giants of his 

 era. His courage and love of truth, his devotion to science, made him an 

 example which may well be imitated, and the scientific men of this country 

 will unite with the whole world in mourning with Germany the loss of one of 

 her greatest sons. 



W. D. H. 



