Una anotación sobre el método de Kjeldahl / An annotation on the Kjeldahl method

Este trabajo constituye una anotación sobre el método de Kjeldahl destacando su importancia, las etapas de que consta, incluyendo en la de valoración la determinación iodométrica del punto final, haciendo mención asimismo de un nuevo método de linearización. El nombre de Kjeldahl ha sido verbalizado, un honor raramente asociado con un químico

This paper constitutes an annotation on the Kjeldahl method emphasizing its importance, the steps of which it consists, including in the titration step the iodomometric determination of the end point, pointing out a new method of linearization. The name of Kjeldahl has been verbalized, an honour rarely associated with a chemist

British Journal of Biomedical Science in 2017: What have we learned?

In 2017 the British Journal of Biomedical Science published 35 articles in the various disciplines that comprise biomedical science. These were 6 reviews, 22 original articles, 6 'In Brief' short reports and one guideline. Of these, the majority were in clinical chemistry (one review, six data papers), microbiology (one review, four data papers), cellular pathology (four data papers) and virology (one review, two data papers). There were two data papers in transfusion science, whilst haematology, cytopathology and immunology were each represented by one review and one data paper. Reflecting the increasing complexity of the laboratory, five data papers crossed barriers between traditional disciplines, and so may be described as multidisciplinary. The present report will summarise key aspects of these publications.

John P Peters (1887-1955): McCarthyism and the Unfinished Revision of Quantitative Clinical Chemistry.

John P Peters is considered one of the founders of modern clinical chemistry. In more than 200 research articles, he brought clinical biochemistry to the bedside, advancing the use of laboratory medicine in diagnosis and disease management. His two-volume landmark textbook Quantitative Clinical Chemistry, coauthored with Donald Dexter van Slyke (1883-1971) and released in 1931-1932, defined clinical chemistry as a distinct professional discipline within medicine. A three-volume revision was begun in 1937. Peters took on the task of revising Volumes I and II but never finished Volume II. His outspoken public advocacy for social reform, world peace, and universal health care made him a target in the era of McCarthyism. Three times between 1949 and 1953 he was brought before the Loyalty Review Board with charges of being a communist and a sympathetic supporter of subversive organizations. According to his family, the turmoil of the McCarthyism persecution shortened his life and prevented him from completing the one thing he wanted to do in his professional life, finish the revision of his landmark clinical chemistry textbook.