From chemistry of life to chemistry of disease: the rise of clinical biochemistry.

Any young scientific discipline may experience difficulties in determining its position. For a young discipline placed at the juncture between potent branches of science with a long tradition, as is the case for Clinical Biochemistry, this is especially true. In such a situation, a look backwards to identify first origins and to follow trends of development can be helpful. Moreover, the close relationship between the history and the philosophy of science should provide insight into the nature of our present work and the potential for future work. Our discipline originated with the emergence of modern chemistry at the end of the 18th century. Methods for the chemical analysis of plant and animal material were developed first. The examination of chemical processes in living organisms followed. Only after these successes did chemical investigations of causes and mechanisms of human disease become possible. A few selected milestones in this evolution can illustrate the medical, philosophical, intellectual and social background which has shaped the rise of Clinical Biochemistry.