NEW CONCEPTIONS IN SCIENCE 



necessary to, if they do not actually share in, the 

 processes of sensation, and thought itself. 



In brief, for every vital function, a ferment. 

 That is the latest word of biological chemistry. In 

 broader terms, the sum of activities we collectively 

 call life is a series of fermentations. 



Naturally the very first question is, what are 

 these ferments, these enzymes or zymases or di- 

 astases? That is the biochemical problem of the 

 hour. So far they have utterly baffled inquiry. 

 Their activity seems bound up rather with the 

 peculiarities of their atomic structure, of their 

 chemical architecture, so to speak, than with any 

 mystery of ingredients. They are compounded of 

 the simple elements of water, air, and carbon. It 

 is how these are put together that is so puzzling. 



But the solution is not far off. Some German 

 chemists, Bredig and others, have been able very 

 closely to imitate some of the ferment actions by 

 means of solutions of finely divided metals, such as 

 platinum and gold. It has been found possible, 

 too, to produce enzymes not normally found in the 

 organism. This is a step further. We may learn 

 of the chemical synthesis of an enzyme any day, 

 and that will be but the prelude to the manufact- 

 ure of life in the laboratory. 



If this seems hazarding much, let it be noted that 

 such faith in no wise implies the chemical synthesis 



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