From Physiology to Biochemistry

Any account of the history of biochemistry must begin with a definition and must set the historical boundaries to its enquiry. Historians have chosen, by and large, to use broad definitions, for example, that of a ‘timeless, extended family of biochemistries’ (Kohler) 1 , or perhaps the even wider ‘interplay of chemistry and biology’ (Fruton) 2 . The reason for this is that the history of biochemistry is a complicated one, both conceptually and institutionally, and broad definitions allow a sense of continuity without which the enterprise would fail. Its study involves the historian not only in the study of physiology, but also in medical chemistry, physical chemistry, microbiology and a wide spectrum of associated sciences, as well as sociological questions of institutional growth and discipline identity.