5G4 



THE PLANT'S PLACE IN NATUKE 



What is the utmost that may be inferred from such experiments? 

 Have lifeless things really been made to act as if they were alive? 

 It is plain that all we have here are simply imitations of isolated 

 vital processes, and not such a coordination of activities as character- 

 izes a living being. Living protoplasm does not merely feed, or grow, 

 or reproduce, or respond to stinuili: it does all these things at once, 

 and more; and its activities are so coordinated as to accomplish 

 definite ends. Nothing which can do all that protoplasm does 

 has ever been manufactured. Supi)osing it were possible, however, 

 to effect a combination of elements which would imitate all the 

 physical and chemical activities of protoplasm, and all at once; 

 what would that mean? AVe could be sure that such artificial 

 protoplasts would always do the same thing under the same condi- 

 tions, and that corresponding parts would always act exactly alike. 



Acetyl chloride Zinc ethyl Methylethylketone Zinc chloride 



Thus for every two molecules of acetic acid/o(/?' are finally produced. 



