826 REPORT— 1898. 



directly. But in either case he exercises a guiding power which is akin, in its 

 results, to that of the living organism, and is entirely beyond the reach of the 

 symmetric forces of inorganic nature. 



In like manner, it is not of the least consequence, for the purposes of the present 

 argument, whether the micro-organism, with which we have compared the operator, 

 acts directly in fermenting one of two enantiouiorphs, or whether it acts indirectly 

 by first preparing an asj-mmetric enzyme which displays this selective action. 

 The contention, therefore, of E. Fischer, Buchner, and others, that the discovery, 

 of enzymes and zymases 'has transferred the phenomena of fermentation from 

 biological to purely chemical territory,' is true only as regards the immediate 

 process, and leaves intact the vitalistic origin of these phenomena. 



We thus arrive at the conclusion that the production of single asymmetric 

 compounds, or their isolation from the mixture of their enantiomorphs, is, as 

 Pasteur firmly held, the prerogative of life. Only tlie living organism with its 

 asymmetric tissues, or the aksymmetric products of the living organism, or the 

 living intelligence with its conception of asymmetry, can produce this result. 

 Only asymmetry can beget asymmetry. 



Is the failure to syntbesise single asymmetric compounds without the inter- 

 vention, either direct or indirect, of life due to a permanent inability, or merely to 

 a temporary disability which the progress of science may remove ? Pasteur took 

 the latter view, and suggested that the formation of chemical compounds in the 

 magnetic field, or under the influence of circularly polarised light, would furnish a 

 means of solving the problem ; and Van't Hoif also thinks the latter method 

 feasible. As regards magnetism, Pasteur's suggestion was undoubtedly based on a 

 misconception ; the magnetic field has not an asymmetric structure ; it is merely 

 polar, since the rotation which it produces in the plane of polarisation of a ray of 

 light changes sign with the direction of the field. As regards circularly polarised 

 light, I must confess to having doubts as to whether it can be regarded as an 

 asymmetric phenomenon : the motion of the ether about the axis of the ray is 

 circular, not spiral ; and it is only by considering the difference of phase from 

 point to point along the ray that the idea of a spiral can be evolved from it. In 

 fact, are there such things as forces asymmetric in themselves ? Is the geometrical 

 conception of asymmetry applicable to dynamical phenomena at all, except in so 

 far as these deal with asymmetric material structures, such as quartz crystals, or 

 organic molecules containing asymmetric carbon atoms ? But this is a question 

 which I would submit to the judgment of mathematical physicists. 



One thing is certain^namely, that all attempts to form optically active com- 

 pounds under the influence of magnetism or circularly polarised light have hitherto 

 signally failed. These forces do not distinguish between the two equally exposed 

 points of attack wliich present themselves in tlie final stage of the transformation 

 of a symmetric into an asymmetric carbon atom. 



But even if such an asymmetric force coidd be discovered — a force which would 

 enable us to synthesise a single enantiomorph — the process would not be free from 

 the intervention of life. Such a force would necessarily be capable of acting in 

 two opposite asymmetric senses ; left to itself it would act impartially in either 

 sense, producing, in the end, both enantiomorphs in equal amount. Only the free 

 choice of the living operator could direct it consistently into one of its two possible 

 channels. 



I will briefly recapitulate the conclusions at which we have arrived. Non- 

 living, symmetric matter — the matter of which the inorganic world is composed- 

 interacting under the influence of symmetric forces to form asymmetric compounds, 

 always yields either pairs of enantiomorphous molecules (racemoid form), or pairs 

 of enantiomorphous groups united within the molecule (meso-form), the result 

 feeing, in either case, mutual compensation and consequent optical inactivity. 

 The same will hold good of symmetric matter interacting under the influence 

 of asymmetric forces (supposing that such forces exist) provided that the latter are 

 left to produce their ettect under conditions of pure chance. 



If these conclusions are correct, as I belie\e they are, then the ahtiolute oriffin of 

 the compounds of one-sided asymmetry to be found in the living world is a mystery 



