THEORY OF LIFE 131 



atom would enter into chemical union with other 

 atoms as permitted. 



4. It may enter an atom and tear away one or 

 more loosely bound positive electrons, and carry 

 along the atom. This atom would then be changed 

 into another element; thus, if it happened to be a 

 nitrogen atom and lost two positive electrons to the 

 new unit, it would be reduced to a carbon atom and 

 would be carried along as a carbon atom. The atom 

 thereafter would behave not like a nitrogen atom 

 but like a carbon atom. The atoms thus dragged 

 along would carry on their independent activities 

 as determined by their constitution, and in keeping 

 with the law of Coulomb, and would enter such ex- 

 ternal combinations as permitted. However, ob- 

 viously, the equilibrium relations of the atoms would 

 be affected and modified by the peculiar conditions 

 that obtain. 



And it appears: This new unit that can neither 

 become a charge on an atom nor enter into chemical 

 combination with atoms, becomes an intraatomie quan- 

 tity, by reason of its peculiar constitution, its erratic 

 path, and its peculiar electromagnetic properties. 



There has then been formed a dual system, a system 

 that is made up of two systems, one of which is material, 

 built up of atoms; the other of which is immaterial, 

 that is, not patterned after the manner of the chemical 



