228 SYMBIOGENESIS 



corpuscles (Dr. W. E. M. Armstrong). Blood very much 

 diluted thus often has stronger immunising properties than 

 concentrated blood. We may feel sure that it is pre-eminently 

 those viable and symbiotically potent lyophil emulsoids which 

 supply the most adequate stimulation, ionisation and nutrition 

 of the red corpuscles without causing undue " ammonisation " 

 (ammonia !) and subsequent proneness to quick decomposition 

 and susceptibility to microbic infection of blood and tissues. 

 We might, indeed, say that the plant " predigests " 

 inorganic crystalloid material in a manner most suitable 

 for animal physiology, much in the same way as birds 

 will to just a sufficient extent predigest certain foods they 

 bring to their young. Vis-a-vis to the animal, the plant really 

 is a transmitter of crystalloid properties, which it slightly 

 modifies so as to render them ideally fit for the special purposes 

 of its biological complement. We have seen to what a 

 startling extent the plant itself depends for its own permanent 

 well-being, survival, and evolution on cross-feeding; neces- 

 sitating, as we have seen, adequate supplies of mineral salts, 

 i.e., crystalloid solutions. 



In view of the apparently well-established fact that in the vegetable 

 world an adequate supply of the earth salts phosphorus, potassium, 

 iron, manganese, silica, sodium, etc. acts as a distinct deterrent on 

 parasitic life, and makes for vigorous, virile, disease-resisting, healthy 

 life, may we not assume as much for the animal world? 



Thus Dr. H. Packard on "The Possible Factor in the 

 Causation of Cancer," as quoted by J. A. Handy in The 

 Scientific American, Oct. 31st, 1914 (" The Principles of 

 Bio-chemistry "). 



In the same article it is pointed out that the natural 

 mineral salts (in their organic or vito-chemical, i.e., colloidal 

 form) of our food, which were formerly considered more or less 

 unimportant, or secondary in importance to the three main 

 classes proteins, carbohydrates, and fats are of the first 

 importance (also as the chief waste eliminators in human 

 metabolism) . Mr. Handy, who regards colloids as the allotropic 



