Interfacial forces and phenomena in physiology : being the Herter lectures in New York in March, 1922 / by Sir William M. Bayliss; with seven diagrams.

  • Bayliss, William Maddock, Sir, 1860-1924.
Date:
[1923]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Interfacial forces and phenomena in physiology : being the Herter lectures in New York in March, 1922 / by Sir William M. Bayliss; with seven diagrams. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    of the usual kind. Hasty statements of this nature have led to some misunder- standing. Before proceeding to discuss the physio- logical phenomena in which interfacial forces play a prominent part, attention may be called to the propensity in certain quarters of assuming the existence of special chemical compounds to account for every new activity observed. This should not be done until the compound has been shown to exist and its properties investigated. Names are given to these imaginary substances, although the names merely serve to state the fact. More knowledge of the possibilities of reactions in heterogeneous systems will make many of these names superfluous and obsolete. Ehrlich's “ side-chain ” theory, with its elaborate terminology, has largely dis- appeared, although it has served a good purpose in suggesting problems for investi- gation. Le Dantec has made the satirical suggestion of calling the various imaginary chemical compounds referred to “ pheno-