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Pursuit of the Purple

1966; American Medical Association; Volume: 197; Issue: 13 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1001/jama.1966.03110130074021

1538-3598

C. J. Watson,

Porphyrin Metabolism and Disorders

Let me acknowledge my keen sense of privilege in the invitation to initiate a lectureship which I understand is planned as an annual event. I am indeed grateful for this high honor. I could scarcely expect my audience to be aware of my passion for color. If any of you might think that the title of my talk detects need of a spinalfluid Wassermann, please relax—I have only the straightforward intent of discussing first a small store of information blended from etymology, biography, and history and then a few more recent and perhaps more definitive observations. As we are well aware, etymology often melts insensibly with history at large. The search for the origin of a single word is likely to lead one backward through distant time and human events. For my part, a pursuit of this type adds zest to medical research. Historical Aspects If one may speak