THE GENESIS OF LIVING ORGANISMS 207 



the inflnences of the outer world into excitation, which then 

 Hberates movements. 



With this twofold function, demonstrable in the germ- 

 ceU also, a third is now associated, which provides the germ- 

 cell with new properties. The nucleus with its chromosomes 

 subserves this function. 



Employing a crude but very obvious comparison, we may 

 picture the chromosomes in the nucleus of the germ-cell as 

 washing-lines, on which the factors for the absolute and 

 relative properties hang, side by side, like articles of clothing 

 which the subject will put on, one by one. 



Such a comparison, which naturally is far too crude to do 

 justice to the complicated processes during the genesis of the 

 animal body, has this value, that it compels us to divide up 

 the process of genesis into an active process and a passive. 



This prevents us from making the easy mistake of looking 

 on the factors as mere ferments that call forth the properties 

 by their physico-chemical action. The comparison with the 

 garments hung on the washing-line turns our attention to the 

 subject, which, by the active process of dressing, first gives 

 the factors the chance to unfold. 



In the genesis of the animal body there is a unity present 

 that controls the phenomenon according to an autonomous 

 rule. In contrast to what happens with machines, the builder 

 resides within the organism itself. The comparison also 

 indicates that the process of genesis is divided up into separate 

 phases, for each property, as a self-contained unity, requires 

 special treatment in effecting its attachment to the subject. 

 These separate actions are implicit in the concept of the 

 factor or gene, but can be thought of as apart from it ; they 

 are then called impulses, and point to the higher unity of the 

 subject, which sends them out according to its autonomous rule. 



A gene or factor, then, is a ferment activated by an ,/ 

 impulse. 



