Practical Physiological Chemistry

Abstract

This is the oldest American textbook in physiologic chemistry. Hawk was a student of Chittenden, who started the first laboratory of physiologic chemistry in the United States and, doubtless, many of the experiments have been elaborated by Chittenden or his students. Although more detailed laboratory work of Folin and Van Slyke has been collected in two other books, Hawk and Bergeim have supplied the most complete collection of selected laboratory methods, which include not only the chemistry of proteins, fats and carbohydrates but physical chemistry in relation to physiology. The main part of the book treats of the chemistry of tissues and foods, enzyme action and digestion, absorption, putrefaction and excretion, and respiratory metabolism (including calculations of total energy exchange) and hormones and vitamins. In the two latter groups chemical methods are used when possible, but biologic methods are described when chemical methods fail or are nonspecific. The book is