METHODS G 



phenomenon, of other not-living substances, called reserve 

 substances. 



Reserves 



In the equation of elementary life as manifested we 

 specified carefully that by the term a we represent solely 

 the really active substances which effectively intervene in 

 the reaction we are studying. In fact, it is not enough for 

 a substance to increase by the fact of a being's life in order 

 that it should itself be living. For example, the substances 

 of the term R in our equation substances said to be acces- 

 sory to assimilation or excrementitial substances increase 

 in proportion with the vital reactions, in which they have 

 no part and which their accumulation may even prevent. 

 This actually takes place with alcohol, which is an excre- 

 mentitial substance of beer-yeast. 



But it is not only the products of Condition No. 1 which 

 are capable of increasing under the influence of life. Sup- 

 pose one and the same Condition No. 2 to be constantly 

 realized for a certain time without importance enough to 

 arrest altogether the development of the living being we 

 are studying ; the products of this particular Condition 

 No. 2, if not soluble and diffusible, will accumulate in the 

 midst of the protoplasm. They are reserve substances, 

 starch, fats, etc. 



These substances, which are not living, are so incorpor- 

 ated with the protoplasm that their wear has given the idea 

 it was the protoplasm which was wearing away. Now these 

 reserve substances may commonly be used as Q substances, 

 that is, food substances in elementary life as it is manifested 

 in living elements. 



A muscle which, by working, consumes its fat, grows 

 thin, but it develops in so far as it is muscular substance. 



