184 LIFE AND DEATH. 



group forms around the nucleus known to chemists 

 under the name of pyrrol. The fourth comprises 

 bodies such as the glucoproteins, connected with the 

 sugars, or carbohydrates. 



Does the fact that the molecule of albumin is 

 destroyed in producing these compounds raise the 

 question as to whether it implies the idea that in 

 reality they pre-exist in it? Chemists are rather 

 inclined to admit this. However, the conclusion does 

 not appear to be permissible. Duclaux considers it 

 doubtful. It is not certain that all these fragmentary 

 bodies pre-exist in reality, and it is no more certain 

 that a simple bringing of them together represents 

 the primitive edifice. Materials of demolition from a 

 house that has been pulled down give no idea of its 

 natural architectural character. There is only one 

 way of justifying the hypothesis, and that is to re- 

 constitute the original molecule of albumin by bring- 

 ing the fragments together. We have not got to that 

 stage yet. The era of syntheses of such complexity 

 is more or less near, but it has certainly not yet 

 begun. 



Moreover, it is not correct to say that the simple 

 juxtaposition of the surfaces of fracture will reproduce 

 the initial body. The fragments, so far as analysis 

 has obtained them, are not absolutely what they might 

 have been in the original structure. There they 

 adhered the one to the other, not only by the mere 

 contact of their surfaces of fracture, as is supposed, 

 but in a slightly more complex manner. The frag- 

 ments of the molecule are joined by bonds. We can 

 picture them to ourselves by supposing these bonds 

 to be like hooks. The hooks, which could only be 

 broken by violence, are called by the chemists 



