462 
On Monday morning, September 15, the section 
of physiology held a joint meeting with the section 
of agriculture. A paper by Prof. Sdrensen and a 
discussion on the physiology of reproduction occupied 
the attention of the two sections. 
Prof. Sdrensen dealt with the measurement and 
the significance of the hydrogen ion concentration 
in biological processes. He began by pointing out 
that the hydrogen ion concentration gives more in- 
formation than the statement of the amount of acid 
in the solution. Some of the acid may be neutralised 
or unionised, and hence it does not exert its full acidic 
power. A similar relation holds between hydroxyl ion 
concentration and alkalinity. 
As the product of hydrogen and hydroxyl ion con- 
centrations is constant at a given temperature, the 
most convenient method of expressing acidity or 
alkalinity is in terms of hydrogen ion concentration. 
Owing to the hydrogen ion concentration in biological 
processes being very small, he uses the sign py, to 
indicate the negative exponent of the normality in 
respect to hydrogen ions. Thus 2x 10-*=10~-**; 
therefore Py=5'69. 
The electromotive measurement of hydrogen ions 
is the standard method, but the colorometric indicator 
method is more convenient for many purposes. 
The use of ‘‘ buffers,’’ by which acid or alkali formed 
during a reaction is neutralised without an appreciable 
change in hydrogen ion concentration, enables one to 
study the effect of the hydrogen ion concentration on 
various processes. The cases illustrated were inver- 
tase and other enzymes, haemolysis, and phagocytosis. 
The discussion on reproduction was opened by Mr. 
K. J. J. Mackenzie, who pointed out that the stock- 
breeder was well trained and ready to absorb sound 
knowledge, but that the knowledge was not there for 
him to have. There are many problems of a practical 
nature and of great financial importance in regard to 
stock-breeding, but he spoke mainly about two of 
them. 
The first was the problem of the ‘‘ Free Martin.” A 
heifer born twin to a bull is said to be sterile. Several 
cases were investigated, and it was found that some 
were sterile and others fertile. If it could be pre- 
dicted which are the fertile ones, this knowledge would 
make a considerable difference to the prices obtained 
at sales of pedigree stock. Mr. Mackenzie pointed 
out that twins may result from the fertilisation of two 
eggs or by the division of one fertilised egg into two 
individuals. The former would possess two separate 
amnions, whilst the latter would be contained in a 
common amnion. Observation at birth of the pre- 
sence or absence of two amnions and correlation of 
the observations with the subsequent histories of the 
offspring might solve the problem which heifers 
would be fertile. In reply to a question he said that 
sterility of the bulls was much less important, as they 
were usually castrated. 
The second. problem was that of ‘“‘black belly’ in 
swine. It was considered that this was due to cestrus, 
and that bacon made from such animals was unwhole- 
some. Investigation showed that the pigmentation 
is due to skin pigment, and that cestral changes are so 
slight as to be overlooked in slaughter-houses. If 
the prejudice to the pigment cannot be overcome, the 
remedy is to breed swine without mammary pigment. 
Problems in mill production and sterility in bulls 
and stallions were also quoted as subjects requiring 
investigation. 
Mr. Geofrey Smith sent in an abstract dealing with 
the glycogen and fat metabolism of crabs. The 
males and females present striking differences. Males 
have less fat and more glycogen in their livers than 
do the females. The blood of the male is pink, whilst 
that of the female is yellow. Infection with sacculina 
NO. 2303, VOL. 92] 
” 
NATURE 
[DecEMBER 18, 1913 
causes disappearance of sexual changes, and the 
males become like the females in composition. : 
Dr. L. Doncaster mentioned other cases in which 
the males and females differ. For instance, in cater- 
pillars, by the precipitin test, the two sexes can be 
shown to differ more than the same sexes but of 
different species. He suggested that male and female 
characters are present in both cases, but that some 
factor, by influencing metabolism, determines which 
sex develops. Sacculina apparently causes the same 
type of metabolism as does the female factor. 
A combined meeting with the sections of zoology 
and botany was held on Tuesday morning, September 
16. Prof. B. Moore, F.R.S., gave a communication 
entitled ‘Synthesis of Organic Matter by Inorganic 
| Colloids in presence of Sunlight, considered in rela- 
tion to the Origin of Life.” 
His view is that the first organisms would not con- 
tain chlorophyll, and hence there must have been a 
supply of organic matter before the organisms could 
flourish. He demonstrated that from water contain- 
ing carbon dioxide and colloid, formaldehyde is pro- 
duced by ultra-violet light. 
He then outlined the scheme of development 
whereby increasing complexity causes instability, and 
that regions of stability occur by the formation of a 
new order of substance. As the material becomes 
more complex, its properties alter. Therefore, 
although one can trace the relationships from one to 
another, objects widely separated behave differently. 
“Ether and energy give rise to the electron, and 
the electron to the atom. When the atom becomes 
too large and unstable, the molecule is formed. Com-. 
binations occur between molecules by molecular 
affinities, e.g. 
Na,SO,+ 10H,0—=Na,SO,.10H,O. 
Molecular combinations form colloids, which are un- 
stable substances, resembling the instability of living 
organisms, and finally living cells are formed. Social 
organisation such as that of the hive bees may be 
the next step, when the individual has reached its 
highest possible development. 
Sir Oliver Lodge agreed with Prof. Moore that new 
possibilities enter matter with increase in complexity, 
and that complexity and instability are necessary for 
life. He also stated that the synthesis of potentially 
living matter is not the same as the origin of life. 
Prof. Armstrong stated that it is not possible to 
arrive at the production of life. He gave instances 
of several other ways in which formaldehyde can be 
synthesised in the laboratory. He did not consider 
that colloid was necessary for the synthesis. His 
opinion is that the asymmetry of the chemical com- 
position of living organisms is the only difficult point 
to understand, but that once asymmetry has been 
produced, enzymes can direct the asymmetrical syn- 
thesis. : 
Dr. Hopkins, Prof. Leonard Hill, and Prof. Hartog 
criticised various points, and agreed with Prof. Arm- 
strong and Sir Oliver Lodge in several of their state- 
ments. } c 
Prof. Priestley gave several instances of synthesis 
of formaldehyde without colloids, but he claimed that 
colloids were important for energy changes in cells. 
Sugar can be produced by bubbling carbon dioxide 
through alkali in the light of a mercury lamp. He 
suggested that asymmetry might be produced by the 
action of polarised light which is found in the surface’ 
‘layers of the sea. 
Prof. Rothera said that the discussion took two 
divisions: criticism of details and criticism of 
generalisations. He believed the sequence outlined in 
Prof. Moore’s statement to be quite correct. 
Prof. Moore, in replying, said that he did not claim 
