126 THE THEORY OF IONS 



use of serum-protein for the formation of its own 

 special proteins, the serum-protein is first broken 

 down into fragments which consist mainly of 

 amino-acids. How is protein reconstructed ? We 

 must either admit that matter may be in two forms 

 active and passive or we must assume that a dis- 

 tinct vital principle is involved in the process of 

 reconstruction. If we admit that matter about to 

 undergo construction into molecules of something 

 else is in an active form, such as ions, or meres 

 analogous to them, it would be difficult to draw a 

 line between the activity of ions in electrolytic con- 

 duction and such matter in the course of construc- 

 tion into fat or cellular protein. It is the old 

 question of a vital principle as distinct from 

 chemical force or physical energy. What is it 

 renders the matter active, which enables ions or 

 meres to form organic substances, which produces 

 will and reason ? The vitalist argues that it is a 

 vital force which mysteriously moulds the elements 

 into organic tissues, the tissues into organs, and the 

 organs into an organism. The physicist says life is 

 the sum of the particular vital activities exhibited by 

 an organism. According to the first theory it is 

 antecedent to and the source of all vital phenomena ; 

 according to the latter it is the result of the numerous 

 activities exhibited by an organism and dependent 

 upon various forces. Life is the result of the com- 

 munication of motion to previously inert matter, a 

 transformation from passivity to activity, and the 

 conversion of that activity to a particular mode of 

 action, whether it be dominated by blind energy or 

 a purposive and intelligent force. 



