234 DARWINISM AND THE PROBLEMS OF LIFE 



The constant renewal of the disintegrating biogens 

 is effected, therefore, by the taking-in of matter. This 

 must, of course, contain the elements of which the 

 living substance is composed. These elements, we 

 know, are found in inorganic nature. Thus the 

 organism is like a laboratory, in which chemical com- 

 pounds are constantly set up and taken to pieces again. 

 The requisite elements are taken from the earth, the 

 water, and the air. These are first of all united in 

 simple combination in the organism, and from these 

 more complex ones are formed, and so the activity 

 of the living substance goes on until the albuminoids 

 are produced. The albuminoids are converted into 

 living albumen, or biogens, by rearrangement of their 

 constituents. Here the highest point is reached. The 

 series of changes then descends once more. The living 

 albumen becomes dead, this disintegrates, more and more 

 simple compounds appear, and in the end combinations 

 of the simplest nature. 



But, we may now ask, who represents the chemist in 

 this living laboratory, the man who chooses and brings 

 together the requisite substances ? 



The new biogens are formed from the old. The 

 dead albumen that is imported into the body is con- 

 verted into living by the biogens. When these have 

 created new biogens, they break up, but owing to 

 their activity before death the body loses none of its 

 living albumen. 



However, the conversion of dead into living albumen 

 is only the last part of the work done in the body. 

 Who selects the matter that is to be taken into the 



