104 EVOLUTION OF THE EARTH 



currents, provided the original substances which combined 

 were soluble in oil as well as in water. Thus arose, according 

 to his theory, the first and simplest life-substance, possessing 

 the power of indefinitely continued growth, by virtue of the 

 postulated autocatalytic character of the initial enzyme. Tro- 

 land is convinced that this theory of the origin of life satisfies 

 most of the objections which have been advanced against 

 ordinary chemical hypotheses, since the characteristic catalytic 

 power of the enzyme accounts for the elevation of the rate of 

 synthetic action from practically zero to one making possible 

 rapid growth of the protoplasmic mass. The same catalytic 

 property explains the localization of the reaction in a definite 

 region, for catalysis can occur only where the catalyzer itself 

 is present. "The theory also provides a basis for the per- 

 manent growth of the primitive organism — If such we dare to 

 call it — as well as for its reproduction, without, in general, the 

 loss of its specific individuality." Troland suggests that the 

 most fundamental objection which can be raised against his 

 ideas is the fortuitous formation of the original enzyme; but 

 he insists that since only a single molecule of the enzyme was 

 required, and since multitudinous chemical reactions undoubt- 

 edly took place in the primordial ocean, this objection of 

 improbability is almost absurd.^^ 



Osborn^s theories. The most recent consideration of the 

 origin of life is that by Osborn, published during the past year. 

 Starting with the postulate that "the primal earth, air, and 

 water contained all the chemical elements and three of the 

 most simple but important chemical compounds, namely, 

 water, nitrates, and carbon dioxide, which are known to be 

 essential to the prechlorophylllc and chlorophyllic stages of 

 the life process," Osborn suggests that an initial step in the 

 origin of life was the coordinating or bringing together of 



"Troland, L. T., 'The Chemical Origin and Regulation of Life." The 

 MonisU vol. 24, 1914, pp. 92-133. 



