Discrepancies between scientific theory and practice in relation to physiological hypotheses

We give anecdotal accounts from our own experience of scientific theories which have been generally accepted as the ‘ruling opinion’ long after sufficient evidence has been collected for their disproof. This has led us to the opinion that the normal scientific process, of working hypothesis followed by experimental test aimed at disproof, is being replaced by the ‘ruling opinion’ followed by experiment aimed at confirmation. The apparently widespread adoption of this procedure may be postulated to arise in part from the need for workers entering a new field of study to obtain grants and to get their results published.