Spieazines 35 



the evolutionary development of living matter 

 actually began in the specific manner above sug- 

 gested, nevertheless, it appears from the fore- 

 going example that the spontaneous formation of 

 spirazine structures from inorganic substances 

 under conditions which actually existed in nature 

 may be readily explained on the basis of known 

 experimental facts. 



The similarity in form and appearance of these 

 primitive hypothetical structures to the various 

 lower or elementary forms of life, such as the fila- 

 mentous bacteria, connective tissue fibers, and 

 nerve fibers, will be apparent. In each case the 

 cross-sectional pattern will be the same at any 

 point along the length and comprises not only the 

 arrangement of the spirazines with respect to one 

 another but also their directions of twist. This 

 pattern will be characteristic of the species and 

 upon transverse fission will be transmitted to the 

 progeny. 



The possession by the spirazine structure of a 

 definite direction of twist will also account for 

 the optical activity which is always exhibited by 

 substances obtained from living organisms, and 

 also for the partiality which is usually shown by 

 living organisms towards one optical isomer over 

 another. In living organisms chirality is the rule 

 rather than the exception, and can be accounted 



