i $77.] Physiology and its Chemistry. 91 
VI. PHYSIOLOGY AND ITS CHEMISTRY 
AT HOME AND ABROAD. 
By Chas. Thos. Kingzett and Henry Wilson Hake. 
S HE acquisition of any new and important faCt in any 
branch of Science, in affecting more immediately that 
special branch whose pursuit has led to its discovery, 
exerts a further influence throughout all Science, which, in 
its gradual but universal aCtion, may not inaptly be compared 
to the unlimited progress of a concentric wave. Not a few 
sciences owe their origin to the discovery of a single faCt. 
Thus the discovery of Frauenhofer’s lines gave rise to the 
great Science of Celestial Chemistry. In similar wise the 
Chemistry of the Carbon Compounds dates from Liebig’s 
elaboration of the methods of organic analysis. So great 
was the impulse communicated by this perfection of method 
that from darkness it has led us to darkness again ; for, in 
teaching us the composition of bodies, it has brought us to 
isomerism. When a new method of investigation shall 
impart a new impulse we shall again emerge into light. 
The influence thus originating with Liebig did not extend 
alone to pure chemistry ; at the same time an impetus was 
given to Chemical Physiology, so brilliantly exampled by the 
work of Liebig himself. Progress has not, however, in the 
case of this Science been nearly as rapid as in the sister 
Science, and for obvious reasons. While Chemistry itself 
was by no means a new science, Physiology scarcely merited 
its name. Up to the time of which we are speaking physi- 
ologists had concerned themselves only with the study of 
anatomy and life functions, so far as these could be observed 
and explained without the aid of chemical science. Physi- 
ology, then, was at that period a science of observation and 
deduCtive reasoning, while metaphysical speculations entered 
largely into its narrow sphere. Liebig perceived that it was 
futile to appeal to the preconceived opinions of his contem- 
poraries, and as regarded their metaphysical views he argued 
that such must render men powerless in time to perceive 
the relations of cause and effeCt. He devoted himself with 
much earnestness of purpose to expose the unscientific me- 
thods of reasoning and research then so prevalent among 
physiologists ; he therefore addressed himself to a younger 
generation, and strove to impress their more plastic minds 
