On chemical changes in their relation to micro-organisms / E. Frankland.

  • Frankland, Edward, 1825-1899.
Date:
1885
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On chemical changes in their relation to micro-organisms / E. Frankland. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    anhydride, water, and hippnric acid, thus utilising nearly the whole of the potential energy, whilst the micro-organism, as a rule, utilises only a small portion. We have seen also that those micro-organisms which have been chemically studied produce, like the higher animals, perfectly definite chemical changes. There is in this respect, there- fore, no essential difference between a mass of yeast, a populous town, a herd of cattle, and a colony of snakes ; each produces its own pecu- liar chemical changes in the food it consumes. The position of micro-organisms in nature is only just beginning to be appreciated. Their study, both from chemical and biological points of view, is however of the highest importance to the welfare of mankind ; and I venture to predict that whilst there is no danger of their being spoiled by petting, or by their welfare being made the special care of sentimentalists, these lowly organisms will receive much more attention in the future than they have done in the past. Their study leads the inquirer right into those functions of life which are still shrouded in obscurity, and it is to be hoped that these inves- tigations will not be retarded by mischievous legislation. HAEEISON AND SONS, PEINTEES IN OEDINAEY TO HEB MAJESTY, ST. MAETIN’S EANE.