262 THE KIDDLE OF THE UNIVERSE. 



find " intelligent forces," regulative or dominant 

 forces. The law of substance is supposed to apply to 

 the one, but not to the other. On the whole, it is a 

 question of the old antithesis of a mechanical and a 

 teleological system. But before we go more fully 

 into it, let us glance briefly at two other theories, 

 which seem to me to be of great importance in the 

 decision of that controversy — the carbon-theory and 

 the theory of spontaneous generation. 



Physiological chemistry has, after countless analyses, 

 established the following five facts during the last forty 

 years : — 



I. — No other elements are found in organic bodies 

 than those of the inorganic world. 



II. — The combinations of elements which are pecu- 

 liar to organisms, and which are responsible for their 

 vital phenomena, are compound protoplasmic sub- 

 stances, of the group of albuminoids. 



III. — Organic life itself is a chemico-physical pro- 

 cess, based on the metabolism (or interchange of 

 material) of these albuminoids. 



IV. — The only element which is capable of building 

 up these compound albuminoids, in combination with 

 other elements (oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, and 

 sulphur), is carbon. 



V. — These protoplasmic compounds of carbon are 

 distinguished from most other chemical combinations 

 by their very intricate molecular structure, their 

 instability, and their jelly-like consistency. 



On the basis of these five fundamental facts the 

 following " carbon-theory " was erected thirty-three 

 years ago : " The peculiar, chemico-physical properties 

 of carbon — especially the fluidity and the facility of 

 decomposition of the most elaborate albuminoid 



