The Organisation of Matter 



lar tissue, which presents two of the essential 

 characteristics of life organisation and nutrition. 



The following is an example recently pre- 

 sented to the Academy of Sciences. A drop, 

 measuring about a millimetre in diameter, and 

 containing a solution of one part of copper 

 sulphate to two parts of sugar, is dropped into 

 a nutrient liquid consisting of water containing 

 gelatine, potassium ferrocyanide and traces of 

 salt. At the end of a few minutes pseudo- 

 vegetations are seen to appear with stems, 

 twigs and leaves, like sea-weeds, terminated by 

 thorns, clusters and catkins; the whole may 

 reach a development of fifty centimetres. 

 These artificial plants possess some of the 

 properties hitherto considered peculiar to living 

 beings; they absorb and eliminate; they are 

 sensitive to poisons and anesthetics; chloroform 

 arrests their development, light and heat favour 

 it, giving rise to the effects of orientation and 

 heliotropism which are also manifested by most 

 plants. 



The artificial cells manifest another property 

 if left to themselves. They end by dividing up 



into a great number of cells, and the character 



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