3 l8 CHAS. W. HARGITT. 



to distilled water devoid of any trace of these elements ? Surely 

 it can hardly be claimed here that continued rhythmic action, or 

 its inhibition, is attributable in any specific way to the .ions of 

 this, that, or any sort ! Possibly those who would vindicate the 

 ion hypothesis at all hazards might assume, as a desperate 

 measure, that certain infinitesimal quantities of these elements 

 may have been carried over in the tissues of the medusae in their 

 transfer from the normal to distilled water! But the assumption 

 is so wholly gratuitous as to preclude serious consideration. 



The writer has no theoretical views to promote or defend. 

 But face to face with the facts he assumes, what is the right of 

 every investigator, namely, freedom to discard any hypothesis 

 which fails to account forjjhis facts, and in so doing the further 

 duty of exposing its futility. A comparison of .the experiments 

 heretofore set forth, and those to which direct reference has been 

 made, together with others of similar nature and involving similar 

 methods, shows such degree of confusion, not to say absolute 

 contradiction, in the results obtained, as to suggest pause and 

 serious reflection before any hasty leap be made in formulating 

 conclusions. There is an old, but reputable, saying though involv- 

 ing something akin to paradox : " If the light that is thee be dark- 

 ness, how great is that darkness." In the light of existing 

 darkness concerning the problem under consideration might not 

 some modium of scientific modesty and hesitation well replace 

 something of the arrogance and dogmatism which have bulked 

 so large in recent literature of these problems ? 



Syracuse University, 

 February 25, 1908. 



