200 THE ORIGIN OF LIFE 



compounds has been added to those described in 

 " Pasteur's Classical Eesearcbes." Pasteur was in 

 advance of his time, and his theory of molecular 

 asymmetry was a seed that lay for many years 

 in the ground without germinating. The theory 

 of the asymmetric carbon atom has been before 

 the scientific world for a long time. Viewing 

 the matter from a purely physical standpoint, it 

 does not appear that the explanations so far offered, 

 from a physical point of view, are really altogether 

 satisfactory. It has been suggested repeatedly 

 that the carbon atom has a twisted structure, but 

 from a purely physical point of view it may be 

 said once more that the statement is scarcely 

 satisfactory ; something further is required to put 

 the matter on a dynamical basis. 



In view of the theory which we have put for- 

 ward the elements which constitute biogen bear 

 the same relation to the more stable chemical 

 elements, their mode of aggregation, their systems 

 of electrons, that nebular condensations do to solar 

 systems. The former should admit of spiral forms 

 and those substances in which the atoms have a 

 spiral structure, as little spiral nebulae of electrons 

 whose period of existence is very long and stable 

 would no doubt be optically active. It thus 

 appears that it is amongst such biogenetic sub- 

 stances that the optically active atoms or those 

 having a distinct twisted structure are to be found, 

 though the atoms of the ordinary elements appear 

 to be symmetrical. 



