Some Problems of Clinical Chemistry

Abstract

CLINICAL chemistry may be defined as that branch of biochemistry which deals with the chemical changes occurring in the body in disease, although popularly it is employed in a somewhat more restricted sense to cover the utilization of chemical methods in the clinical laboratory as an aid in the diagnosis and prognosis of disease. Chemist's Part in Medicine In the development of clinical chemistry, or pathological chemistry as this subject was formerly called, individuals trained in both medicine and chemistry have played an important role. However, the development of the laboratory methods and the conduct of most of the laboratory work has been largely in the hands of chemists without formal medical training. Felix Hoppe-Seyler and Christian A. Herter are two outstanding exceptions who might be mentioned. Felix Hoppe-Seyler is generally looked upon as the founder of biochemistry and the first chair in physiological chemistry in Germany was created for him. He ...