Law of Proenvironment 229 



or chromatin substance. Thus the gradual formation, within 

 ganghonic cells, in increasing richness up to man, of the Nissl 

 granules that we have termed neuratin is partial evidence 

 of this. 



In correlation ^\'ith this we find that protoplasm yields 

 greatly more complex analytic constituents of the albumen 

 groups than are presented or even distantly approached by 

 any inorganic body; that chromatin contains nucleo-protein 

 compounds of still more complex constitution than the proto- 

 plasmic substance; while neuratin or Nissl substance becomes 

 so steadily used up during intense mental effort, and slowly 

 replenished again after such effort has ceased and perfect nutri- 

 tion has been reestablished, that the substance itself suggests 

 a high molecular complexity. Unfortunately our knowledge 

 of its exact chemical composition is still practically negative. 



The remarkable advance effected therefore in transition 

 from higher Protozoa to simpler Metazoa consists we believe: 

 (a) in the aggregation of energids mthin special ganglionic 

 cells, that represent all kinds of energotactic chemical con- 

 stituents; (b) in the capacity that these ganglionic cells have 

 for linking up the diverse resultant stimuli which they receive 

 into one complex resultant; and (c) in the discharge of this 

 resultant energy, so as to cause change or even motion in some 

 part of the organism, correlative with or apart from the regions 

 of initial stimulation. Thus in all probability originated that 

 characteristic of the Metazoa that we term reflex action. 



But in all complex proenvironal reactions there are gradually 

 added on to reflex action those advancing phenomena that 

 we speak of as associative memory, mentality, intelligence, 

 intellectuality, and morality, that are treated in other chapters. 



Now, in evolution of the cogitic or complex correlating nerve 

 cell substance, condensation of all of the varied sense-result- 

 ants of different kind, and formation of a complex resultant 

 response, may have been aggregated amongst simplest Metazoa 

 in one or a few cells. But, with increasing rapidity of response 

 to different stimuli, si)ecial areas or groups of nerve cells Avould 

 become associated, in one or more nerve centers, with each 



