The essential nature and organisation of food energy and the application of the second principle of thermo-dynamics to food value and its active force / by M. Bircher-Benner ; translated by D. E. Hecht and E. F. Meyer.

  • Bircher-Benner, Max Oskar, 1867-1939.
Date:
1939
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The essential nature and organisation of food energy and the application of the second principle of thermo-dynamics to food value and its active force / by M. Bircher-Benner ; translated by D. E. Hecht and E. F. Meyer. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    88/102 (page 80)
    I see a higher grade of the law of organisation or entropy in this biological correlative organisation of food so that the totality of organisation may be regarded as an all-embracing unity. In this monograph upon “ Potential of Oxidation and Reduction” L. Michaelis says cautiously:— 44 Modest as the fruits of this chapter of physical chemistry may be for physiology, I would nevertheless venture to assert that these beginnings are destined to guide the theory of changes in substance and energy of living cells into a new direction.” This assertion only relates to the theory of redox potentials, which is an essential part of the problem of organisation. If, however, we enlarge our vision to embrace the total area of the organisation and dis- organisation of the energy of food in the sense already described, new and practically important relations to metabolism result. The phrase 44 Nothing is more practical than a good theory ” is here again verified. The following indications result from this theory:— Metabolism comprises all the partial processes of the transformation or disorganisation of energy in the organism. These partial processes are influenced by the organisation of the food energy introduced, upon which the energy altitude between the beginning and end state of the energy stream flowing through the body depends, i.e. the power and vehemence of what happens. If the energy organisation of food is optimum and the human organism adequate, the greatest possible altitude will result and all partial processes be enabled to transpire normally, viz. metabolism is accomplished undisturbed. On the other hand every lack of organisation in the energy of food leads to a diminution of the altitude, i.e. to a reduction of nutritive power, to disturbances in the