THE OEIGIN OF 'LIFE 101 



The problem of the origin of life has probably been most 

 thoroughly considered by Pfluger, to whom we are indebted for 

 a luminous theory dealing most comprehensively with the 

 chemical details of this subject. But as his arguments pre- 

 suppose a comprehensive knowledge of chemistry we must 

 unfortunately omit it here. 



Since chemistry has proved that the body of an organism is 

 constructed of the same chemical elements of which inorganic 

 bodies are composed, and since Wohler succeeded, first of all, in 

 producing artificially an organic compound, urine, out of inorganic 

 constituents, the hypothesis of spontaneous generation does no 

 longer constitute a leap into the dark, but follows as a logical 

 conclusion. For, we may ask, is it a lesser miracle that a tree 

 absorbs the carbon dioxide of the air, water and different salts 

 from the soil and uses them all for the formation of its organs, 

 stem, leaves, flowers and fruits? Life, highly complicated and 

 differentiated, is here being created from inorganic matter. The 

 tiny millet seed which we confide in spring to the soil becomes 

 in a few weeks a plant of considerable size with many leaves, 

 representing an enormous quantity of organic substance which 

 has in a short time been formed in this minute natural labora- 

 tory. It is true that the change in these cases proceeds in, and 

 by the agency of, an already existing organism. But though it is 

 not possible to trace accurately each single process of change 

 and repeat it experimentally we know, nevertheless, that there 

 is no mystic something, no unknowable vitalistic force at play, 

 but that it is strict chemical processes which produce the effects 

 observed. Is it, therefore, so very extraordinary to assume that 

 in earlier earth-periods, when the temperature, the composition 

 of the atmosphere, and the conditions of pressure were utterly 

 different from those existing to-day, they formed the conditions 

 requisite for the free generation of simple organized living matter ? 



It must be pointed out once more that of the manner 

 in which the formation of these original ancestors of modern 

 animals and plants took place we do not and cannot know 

 anything. Experience deserts us here. It is a doctrine of faith 

 that a Creator outside the cosmos, an omnipotent God, made by 

 his fiat the first germs of life arise. But it is also a doctrine 

 of naturalists when we assume that the lowest organisms have 



