xii CONTENTS 



CHAPTER IX 



THE NUCLEUS AS A SOUECE OF ENEEGT 



PAGE 



Nucleus a» a source of energy — Possible mode of reconciliation 

 between opposite schools of Haeckel and Lodge — Bio- 

 elements — Altmann's bioplasts — Dr. Charlton Bastian and 

 the transmutation of species — Life-activity and radio-activity 

 -^Richter and Preyer's cosmoza — Bathybius and precipitates 

 — The problem of the origin of life runs parallel with that of 

 the origin of matter 153 



CHAPTER X 



THE DESCENT OF LIVING PROTOPLASM 



Artificial cells in their relation to the mode in which life 

 first made its appearance — Criticisms as to the nature 

 of these cells — Preyer's theory — The small chance of the 

 particular aggregations constituting a living cell being formed 

 — Experiments with cyanogen and electric discharge — 

 Probable structure of Haeokel's Monera — Fresh ■ specula- 

 tion in their relation to biogenesis .... . . . 172 



CHAPTER XI 



SPONTANEOUS GENERATION 



Three states of electronic aggregation — Spontaneous generation a 

 problem like that of perpetual motion cannot be demon- 

 strated — Views of Pasteur and Weismann — Objections to 

 Pasteur's results — Views of Bastian — J. Arthur Thomson 

 — Haeckel — Bastian's heterogenesis — Method of filtration 

 — Japp's views on asymmetric structures — Asymmetric 

 structure of biogen — Origin of asymmetric structure as 

 profound as that of life — Karl Pearson and FitzGerald on 

 climate as a factor in producing asymmetry 191 



CHAPTER XII 



THE MECHANISM OP LIFE 



Two opposing principles in vital processes ; the constructive and 

 the destructive — Mode in which metabolism is kept up in 

 the cell in consequence of the electrical and radio-active 

 properties of the nucleus — Artificial cells merely models, 

 but yet give a clue to the nature of the mechanism in 

 natural ones — Biogen hereditary substance — Nature of this 

 substance — Biogen the transition stage between free elec- 

 tricity and condensed electricity or atomic matter — Astro- 

 nomical analogue — Constituents of protoplasm the lightest 

 elements — Bearing of this on the origin of protoplasm — 

 Two kinds of biogens 213 



