96 THE ORIGIN OF LIFE 



cell substance, i.e., of living proteid, out of food 

 proteid, a change in the latter takes place, the 

 atoms of nitrogen going into a cyanogen-like re- 

 lation with the atoms of carbon, probably with the 

 absorption of a considerable amount of heat." 

 Cyanogen is a radical which contains a vast amount 

 of energy, and although not to be compared with 

 that of radium compounds, nevertheless its potential 

 store is very great, as appears from thermal in- 



vestigations. 



And again, "the idea that it is the cyanogen 

 which confers upon the living proteid molecule its 

 characteristic properties is supported especially by 

 many analogies that exist between living proteid 

 and its compounds." This product of the oxidation 

 of cyanogen, cyanic acid HCNO, possesses great 

 similarity to living proteid. 



Pfliiger calls attention to the following interest- 

 ing points of comparison : — 



1. " Both bodies grow by polymerisation in 

 combining chemically similar molecules like chains 

 into masses ; the growth of living substance takes 

 place thus, and in this way also the polymeric 

 H„C„N,^0„ comes from cyanic acid HCNO. 



2. "Further, both bodies in the presence of water 

 are spontaneously decomposed into carbonic acid 

 and ammonia. 



3. " Both afford urea by dissociation, i.e., by 

 intra-molecular rearrangement, not by direct oxi- 

 dation. 



4. " Finally, both are liquid and transparent 



