" CONTRE-EVOLUTION " 185 



ce qui explique certaines divergences. Et s'il est permis d'emettre, a 

 cet egard, une hypothese, il semblerait qu'elle soit due a une alteration 

 protoplasmique. Mais la chimie seule pourra faire de cette hypothese une 

 realite, le jour ou elle se trouvera en mesure d'analyser et de synthetiser 

 les albuminoid es. Une infinite de phenomenes tant physiologiques que 

 pathologiques s'expliqueront sans doute ainsi. 



This is putting us off to the Greek Kalends. My further 

 comment is that " alteration protoplasmique " signifies above 

 all " alteration symbiotique," both physiologically and biologically 

 speaking. Not Chemistry, but Bio-Economics can supply the 

 solution of the problem. We have seen that the best conception 

 of protoplasm is that of a partnership subject to " sociological " 

 laws, both " domestic " and biological. Sociological factors 

 we have indeed found to be the chief determinants of 

 protoplasmic success, and we have also concluded that the more 

 there is of Symbiosis, the more there exists of healthiness, of 

 division of labour and of resulting support, sanction, longevity, 

 and plasticity of life. That the protoplasm is largely determined 

 by biological factors, is implied by Dr. Larger 's own remark that 

 microbic intoxication must be held responsible for many patho- 

 logical changes when it remains to be seen, however, in how 

 far the organism by its own transgression provides the soil for 

 infection. When the protoplasm is thus affected, according to 

 the author, it loses " progressivement," all its properties, and 

 the organism becomes " un bouillon de culture." We are told 

 in capital letters : 



C'est, en effet, la mauvaise quality du terrain il faut y insister qui 

 aract6rise le degeneve. 



In other words, the soil is more important than the microbe. 

 When the " soil " is badly " fertilised " by inappropriate nutrition, 

 infection and degeneration set in. Ubi uber, ibi tuber. It is now 

 quite evident that the following passage merely requires inter- 

 pretation in terms of co-operation instead of struggle in order 

 to give a totally different complexion to " Contre-E volution " : 



Tout etre organise, quelqu'il soit, vit sans cesse au milieu d'une infinite 

 de microbes saprophytes et pathogenes. Us pullulent a la fois dans 1'atmos- 

 phere qui 1'entoure, a la surface de son corps et dans toutes ses cavit6s 

 naturelles en contact avec le milieu exterieur. Les epitheliums de la 

 peau et des muqueuses ont pour fonction principale de lutter sans cesse 

 centre la penetration de ces microbes et de leurs toxines dans les tissus. 

 Ceux-ci sont envahis des 1'instant ou ces epitheliums, alteres dans leur 

 nutrition, opposent un obstacle insumsant a 1'invasion, laquelle devient 



