Calciphylaxis by Hans Selye (review)

This is, ofcourse, a mere excuse. Man is a valuing or evaluating animal, and values are phenomena, to be treated scientifically like any odier phenomena. They are organizations ofhuman awareness, products ofpsychosocial evolution which exert operational effects onitsfurthercourse. ProfessorDobzhanskydoesnotmentiontheproto-ethicalmechanism whichisbroughtintobeinginearlyhumanpostnataldevelopmentasaresultofrepression, and whose values are therefore endowed with a compulsive "absolute" quality. Nor does he mentionWaddington'simportantideathatman'slong periodofdependencehasnecessitated the evolution ofwhat he calls an "authority acceptance" mechanism. The "proto-values" which the combined operation ofthese two mechanisms generate in the young child have to be corrected by constant reference to experience, and these gradually develop into adult values, which, ofcourse, exert a powerful effect on the psychosocialprocess .Theadultvaluesystemisthustheresultoftheinteractionofsomesimple genetically determined capacities widi the individual's psychosocial environment. Neither here nor in his interesting sections on imprinting, semantics, Freud, Gorer, and psychologicaldevelopment in generaldoes he mention Bowlby's work ontheeffects ofmaternal deprivation, though this is ofgreat importance for a proper understanding ofthe development ofstable emotional and moral systems in die growing child. His treatment ofpopulation structure and polymorphism, based as it is on his own researches , willbeofvaluetoallbiologists. Myonlycomment isthathe doesnotsufficiently distinguish the different kinds ofpolymorphism: the balanced morphisms ofR. A. Fisher, some maintained by double-dose disadvantage, others by heterozygote advantage; those dependent on a loose balance ofalleles or partial genetic systems which are advantageous in different environmental circumstances; those based on straightforward heterosis effects on phenotypic vigor; and the multiple polymorphism of high genetic variance, which is presumably conserved because it confers plasticity on die strain by providing large numbers ofrecombinations. His discussions ofmutation and die "genetic load" ofmutant genes, ofspecific human genetic defects, and of selection and disease-resistance in man should be compulsory reading for sociologists, educationalists, and medical men as well as for all general biologists . Indeed, die whole book should be read by all who aspire to an understanding of general and human biology. As I said at the outset, it provides a much-needed basis for the whole study ofhuman evolution. I am sure diat many workers will be helped to build further on that basis, and I hope that Professor Dobzhansky will continue to pursue his own studies on the subject and give us a further and equally important book. Julian Huxley 31 Pond Street Hampstead, London, N.W. 3 Cakiphylaxis. By Hans Selye. Chicago: University ofChicago Press, 1962. Pp. xxxi+ 583. $25.00. In his recent book, Hans Selye, well known from his work on stress, appears again with a new biological concept diat will certainly have an impact on those studying the 148 Book Reviews Perspectives in Biology and Medicine · Autumn 1962 mechanisms ofcalcification. Thebooksummarizesalongseriesofexperimentsperformed to produce "calciphylaxis." Calciphylaxis is defined as an induced hypersensitivity which responds to a "challengingagent " withsubsequent formationofcalcified tissue. Thehypersensitivityis produced by substances such as dihydrotachysterol, vitamin D compounds, and parathyroid hormone , called by Selye "systemic calcifiers," all ofwhich are known for their ability to mobilize calcium from the skeleton. The deposition of calcium induced by the challenger depends onthe elapse ofa certainperiod oftime. Metallic salts and certain organic compounds such as egg white or egg yolk were frequently used as challengers. The subcutaneous injection ofa challenger inthe previous sensitized rat produces a local response termed "topical calciphylaxis"; the intravenous or intraperitoneal injection causes a general response, widi die appearance of calcifications in internal organs or tissues, and is called "systemic calciphylaxis." Theresponse is specific; die site ofthe deposits is dependent on die type ofchallenger used. Histologically, the tissues which calcify resemble bone but, unlike bone, they stain PAS positive, contain only abortive bone canaliculi, and show no lamellation. An important role in die mechanism ofcalciphylaxis is attributed to die mast cell. Mastocyte granules are liberated by certain challengers which subsequently attract calcium and calcify in the presence ofphosphorus and iron. Selye does not believe diat die high calcium level in die serum, produced by die calcifiers, is directly involved in the process ofcalciphylaxis . The section of the book which deals with the experimental procedures contains an excellent collection ofillustrations ofthe morphological changes induced in the experimental animals. The very detailed description ofthe techniques was probably included to enable other investigators to reproduce the experiments; it may be reported that those experiments have been partially repeated by...