66 WHAT IS LIFE 



Jacques Loeb said: "It is certain that nobody 

 has thus far observed the transformation of dead 

 into Hving matter, and for this reason we cannot 

 form a definite plan for the solution of this problem 

 of transformation." 



Concerning the transition from the lifeless to life, 

 however the transition is conceived to have been 

 effected — whether by physicochemical processes or 

 through some outside agency, always we are told 

 that colloids were the medium. 

 What, then, are colloids? 



The following is Wolfgang Ostwald's definition: 

 "Colloids are dispersed systems, in which the 

 diameter of the dispersed particles in typical 

 cases lies between one ten-thousandth and one 

 one-millionth of a millimeter. They are distin- 

 guished experimentally from molecularly dis- 

 persed systems by the fact that they do not 

 dialyze; and from coarse dispersions by the fact 

 that they cannot be analyzed microscopically. 

 Colloids pass through filters readily, while coarse 

 dispersions do not. Transition systems exist be- 

 tween colloids and molecular solutions and be- 

 tween coarse dispersions. The colloid state 

 represents a universally possible state of matter. 

 There is no reason why every substance may 

 not be produced in colloid form. It may be accom- 



