324 SCIENCE PROGRESS 



According to Prof. Moore, the colloid shows the properties 

 of dawning life; whatever this may mean, I understand him to 

 say hat to make it live, it is necessary to get an energy trans- 

 former attached to it. It is surprising how little life there is in 

 those who live, how slowly lessons are learnt. The conditions 

 which determine the transformations of energy were laid down 

 generations ago by Faraday — but are disregarded to the present 

 day. There is little that is mysterious about them ; all that is 

 required is a proper arrangement of parts. To give an example, 

 a lump of zinc in diluted sulphuric acid constitutes a binary 

 system brimful of latent energy — of energy awaiting trans- 

 ormation but untransformable so long as the system remains 

 binary ; on coupling the conjoined metal and acid by means of 

 a relatively electronegative conductor, however, interaction at 

 once sets in, the metal attacks the acid and the acid the metal 

 and energy is set free — primarily as electricity, secondarily as 

 heat. Nothing can stop the transformation if the ternary 

 system be constituted. Apparently no special energy trans- 

 former is required but merely a proper arrangement of parts — 

 given the proper arrangement, action is bound to take place, 

 provided always that the system be one in which there is an 

 overplus of energy. 



And here comes the rub. In the case of organisms, not a 

 few changes take place which can only occur if energy be 

 supplied. The assimilation of carbon by plants is a case in 

 point : ordinarily this is effected through the agency of sunlight; 

 but it is clear that in some cases, as in the fermentation of 

 sugar, for example, energy set free in a change taking place in 

 one part of a complex molecule may serve to make up a 

 deficiency preventing the spontaneous occurrence of a change 

 of the reverse order in another part of the molecule. It is an 

 important office of the protoplasmic complex apparently to 

 <( negotiate " such exchange or transference of energy. 



With reference to Dr. Haldane's statement that we cannot 

 express the observed facts by means of physical and chemical 

 conceptions but must have recourse to the conception of organic 

 unity — I am at a loss in the first place to understand what this 

 conception is, if it be inconsistent with chemical conceptions. 

 I am afraid the vague indeterminate phrases of the philosopher 

 make little appeal to the hard heart of the fact worshipper. 



