EVOLUTION OF COLLOIDS 123 



in nature for the construction of living 

 organisms. 



Before passing on to the energetics of 

 living matter, some consideration must be 

 accorded to the problems of molecular com- 

 bination and the formation of colloids, for 

 all living structures consist of colloids. Such 

 colloids are either active in solution in water, 

 or are dead inactive masses formed by the 

 dissolved living colloids and thrown out as 

 supporting meshworks, mechanisms for sup- 

 port, and membranes surrounding and dividing 

 off the living units or cells from one another. 

 Thus, both in that grosser mechanical structure 

 visible under the microscope which holds the 

 organic unit, or cell, together, and in its 

 ultra-microscopic intrinsically living and active 

 part, the living organism is made up of 

 colloidal matter. 



CHAPTER VI 



EVOLUTION OF COLLOIDS 



This chapter in the history of evolution is 

 one that has suffered, until quite recently, 

 from a strange neglect, at the hands of both 



