Preface 



The mystery of life, so long unsolved, and by many regarded as 

 beyond human understanding, has been slowly revealing itself 

 in the light of scientific investigation. The purpose of this book 

 is to present in coherent order sufficient facts regarding material 

 biological phenomena to show that life is dominated by catalysis — 

 the direction of chemical change by surface areas of specific struc- 

 ture and efficiency. Catalysts not only direct the chemical changes 

 essential to life, but some of these catalysts actually are the ulti- 

 mate living units. 



Since matter is the physical basis of life, its successive structural 

 levels are first considered, and then the ways in which atoms and 

 molecules aggregate into masses, and the consequences of the 

 intermixture of substances, even though some are present in mere 

 traces. The nature of living units is next discussed, together with 

 the catalytic mechanism whereby life exists, persists, and proceeds. 

 Immunology, genetics, embryology, diseases and drugs and evolu- 

 tion are then reviewed, and some speculations as to the origin of 

 life are outlined. Since the mental and spiritual aspects of life 

 are quite as real as the material, the last chapter deals with the 

 equally real interrelation between them, even though its basis is 

 unknown. 



Each chapter should be considered as part of the whole general 

 picture of life presented, rather than as a separate, isolated entity. 

 Each topic is treated in as simple and elementary a manner as 

 justice to the facts of nature will permit. However, experts in the 

 various fields are aware that no chapter in a book like this can 

 adequately cover their several specialities. It is felt that this out- 

 line approach will help the general reader, who is suddenly 

 confronted with so many diverse and puzzling biological problems. 



A word about my personal interest in these problems will be 

 found on page 277. 



This book represents my reactions to enormous advances in all 

 branches of science for more than half a century. In the attempt 

 to sketch a coherent picture of life processes, I have freely drawn 

 upon the recorded mass of scientific data, with references to origi- 



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