i.] HOW MUCH ARE YOU ALIVE? 7 



manifestation of any microscopical or chemical signs that they 

 are the seat of a physiological activity. And yet we have not 

 reached a limit ; although our electrical test is more delicate 

 and closer-searching than either a morphological or a chemical 

 test, we may not flatter ourselves that it makes sensible to us 

 the real ultimate (or initial) chemical movements of infinitesimal 

 magnitude that herald (or attend upon) the awakening of the 

 dormant embryo the birth of a renewed life. 



And so, if driven to the foot of the wall by the question, " Is 

 this good seed living or dead ? " I should answer, " I can't tell by 

 looking at it, nor by chemically testing it, but come back in an 

 hour, and I will show you that this seed, since you say it is a 

 good seed, is an actually living seed ; and then, if you like, I 

 will kill it and show you how differently it behaves. At this 

 moment I do not know whether or no infinitesimal chemical 

 change is going on in the seed, but I believe that such infini- 

 tesimal change (if it exists) may be suppressed (by low tempera- 

 ture) without thereby making the seed dead" 



Hence, in verbal physiological specification of a good seed, I 

 should say, in order of logical subordination : Matter Not-living 

 Formerly living Capable of living again. 



This has been a dialectical parenthesis. Before leaving the 

 topic let me, however, utilise it in illustration of the answers 

 desired (and in some cases obtained) to these two chief 

 questions: Are you alive? How much are you alive? 



To the qualitative question, " Are you alive ? " the seed 

 response is "Yes," "No," or " Doubtful" " Yes " being an 

 electrical response of considerable magnitude, " Doubtful " or 

 " No" being little or no response. 



To the quantitative question, " How much are you alive ? " 

 the affirmative response comes in the forms of units, which are 

 fractions of a volt, as in this instance, where seeds (Phaseolus) 

 of different years are submitted to the quantitative question. 



It is of course impossible for me to carry out a long series 

 of trials like this on the lecture table ; it will be sufficient for the 

 purpose of illustration if I show you three trials one on an 

 assuredly living seed, one on an assuredly dead seed (that has 

 been killed by heat), and a third on a very old seed of which I 



