So THE MECHANISM OF LIFE 



minutes, the colouring matter has almost entirely reunited to 

 form separate granulations; whilst in Fig. 22, taken after 

 thirty minutes, these granulations are rearranged to form an 

 agglomeration around the centre of each drop. 



The following experiment, which is more difficult, will show 

 the cohesive attraction of one drop for another. A plate of 

 glass is adjusted absolutely horizontal, and covered as before 

 with a layer of salt solution. ( )n this we sow a number of 

 drops of the same salt solution coloured with Indian ink. 













Fig. 21. — The same drops 15 minutes later, showing the granulation 

 appearance. 



The drops must be of exactly the same concentration as the 

 salt medium, so as to avoid any difference of osmotic pressure 

 between the drops and the medium, otherwise the drops would 

 not remain intact but would diffuse into the solution. Since 

 under these conditions the liquid of the medium around the 

 drops is perfectly symmetrical and homogeneous, it cannot 

 exercise any influence on the liquid of the drops. 



It is otherwise, however, with the colouring matter of the 



