First Journey to America

Abstract

The starting point Early in 1903 I received a letter from the small university town of Berkeley near San Francisco in California. It had been sent by Jaques Loeb who was Professor of physiology there to invite me, in the name of the university, to give a lecture at the inauguration of his new laboratory. His name was not unknown to me but under the pressure of so many different activities I hadn’t had the chance to concern myself more closely with his research. Professor Loeb seemed to have anticipated this because he had sent at the same time a number of books and papers to give me an accurate idea of his work and intentions. He turned out to be a fervent admirer of the new physical chemistry and considered its teachings to have been a major factor in his success. He wished to underscore the debt of gratitude which he felt for our science, by having me present at his inauguration celebration.