654 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XL. No. 1036 



rophyls and other complex synthetic products 

 of animal and plant life, especially with 

 starches, of which over 300 specimens were 

 examined that were obtained from different 

 plant sources, including' representatives of a 

 considerable number of families, genera, spe- 

 cies, varieties and hybrids. In all of these in- 

 vestigations the results are not only in full 

 accord with those of the hemoglobin researches 

 but also in some instances of broader signif- 

 icance because by better methods of differen- 

 tiation in some cases it was found possible to 

 recognize not only peculiarities as regards 

 genus or species, but also varieties and hybrids, 

 and even to trace in hybrids with marked 

 definiteness the transmission of parental char- 

 acteristics. 



Summing up the results of these indepen- 

 dent but interwoven researches, we find that 

 the modified forms of each of these substances 

 lend themselves to a very definite system of 

 classification, and to one that is in general 

 accord with that of the botanist and zoologist, 

 that is, each genus is characterized by a dis- 

 tinctive type of hemoglobin, albumin, starch, 

 etc., as the case may be, which may be desig- 

 nated the generic-type; every species of the 

 genus will have a modification of this type, 

 which is a species-type, or generic primary 

 sub-type; and every variety of a species will 

 have a modification of the species-type, that is 

 a variety-type, or generic secondary sub-type, 

 or species sub-type. In fact, it seems clear 

 that with revisions of present classifications 

 that are certain to come there will be found 

 definite family types; and, moreover, that 

 with improved methods of differentiation there 

 will be discovered positively distinctive sex- 

 and individual-types. This last statement 

 already has support in the results of collateral 

 lines of research which bear upon the speci- 

 ficities of enzymes, anaphylaxis, precipitin re- 

 actions, immune sera, etc. 



From the foregoing data it seems obvious 

 that the complex organic substances which 

 may he assumed to constitute the essential 

 fundamental constituents of protoplasm and 

 the immediate complex synthetic products of 

 protoplasmic activity may exist in exceedingly 



numerous or even countless stereoisomeric 

 forms, each form heing peculiarly and speci- 

 fically modified in relation to genus, species, 

 variety, race, sex, individual or even part of 

 an ind 



B. Protoplasm a Complex Stereoisomeric 



System 



The next logical step in our investigation is 

 manifestly the study of the bearings of these 

 stereoisomers, as such and in their variable 

 combinations and associations, upon the struc- 

 ture, processes and products of protoplasm. 

 Protoplasm according to the modern develop- 

 ments of biochemistry is to be regarded as 

 being in the nature of an extremely complex, 

 labile aggregate of proteins, fats, carbohydrates 

 and other substances that are peculiarly asso- 

 ciated to constitute a physico-chemical mechan- 

 ism. The possible number of " phases " in 

 which such a system can exist varies with the 

 forms of the stereoisomerides and in general 

 with the number and independent variability 

 of the components. In such a mechanism we 

 conceive that the number of variables is in- 

 conceivably great. From analogy we believe 

 that such mechanisms are so extremely sensi- 

 tive that the properties and processes may be 

 modified by even so slight a change as the sub- 

 stitution of one form of stereoisomeride for 

 another of the same prototype. "Were it prac- 

 ticable to examine all of the most complex of 

 the organic structural components of proto- 

 plasm, it doubtless would be found that every 

 one exists in a form that is peculiar to the 

 individual and his position in classification. 

 Moreover, we must conceive that the com- 

 ponents of protoplasm are as specific in rela- 

 tion to the form of protoplasm as are the 

 peculiar forms of stereoisomers, so that differ- 

 ent forms of protoplasm are characterized 

 physico-chemically (1) by the peculiarities of 

 the stereoisomerides, and (2) by the pecu- 

 liarities of the kinds, combinations, associa- 

 tions and arrangements of the components in 

 the three dimensions of space. 



In accordance with the foregoing the human 

 organism may be regarded as being a highly 

 organized composite of heterogeneous physico- 



