BIONOMICS 231 



" co-ordination," and symbiotic (reciprocal) affinity in the 

 place of mere chemical affinity. At any rate, I would have 

 symbiogenesis comprise chemistry rather than chemistry com- 

 prising symbiogenesis. 



Mr. Handy speaks of the " Law of Chemical Affinity " as 

 " refining in principle, evolutionary in growth, harmonic in 

 operation, vibratory in activity, and constructive in effect" 

 in short, as "Nature's universal formula of evolution," which 

 is precisely what I claim for the principle of symbiogenesis. 

 To emphasise his "chemical" view-, Mr. Handy uses the 

 illustration of the tiny yeast cell. Had he given equal atten- 

 tion to the bio-economic phase of evolution, he would probably 

 have shared my own inclination to attach more fundamental 

 importance to the "personal" than the "chemical" factor. 

 He says : 



Take, for example, one of the simplest forms of vegetable life the 

 yeast cell. This cell, microscopic in size and possessing the simplest 

 anatomical structure, and consisting simply of a colloidal solution of 

 mineral salts in true organic or vitochemical form, is capable of growth 

 and reproduction, and of carrying out many complex reactions. The 

 yeast cell is capable of elaborating certain nitrogenous colloids called 

 enzymes, or ferments which convert sugar into alcohol, carbonic acid 

 and water. Under certain conditions the yeast cell converts sugar into 

 glycogen, which it may store for a long time within itself, or which 

 it may soon re-convert into sugar and then into alcohol. Under other 

 conditions it may oxidize alcohol. It synthesises protein and cellulose. 

 It forms glycerine, succinic acid, and amyl alcohol. It may reduce 

 sulphur to sulphuretted hydrogen. It generates electricity. It performs, 

 undoubtedly, a whole series of cleavages, syntheses, oxidations and 

 reductions, and yet, examined under the microscope, it appears fairly 

 homogeneous. No structure is visible capable of explanation as to how, 

 in this small space, so many processes can go on side by side in an 

 orderly fashion without interfering with each other. 



However interesting the case of the yeast may be, and 

 however beneficial this plant may be in some of its activities 

 (more particularly so when symbiotic with bacteria), the mere 

 illustration of its activities without a detailed bio-economic 

 orientation as regards their value is calculated to over- 

 emphasize the "chemical" factor at the expense of 



