THE MECHANISM OF LIFE 229 



Periodic Law in this matter. First, the table shows 

 one arrangement in which the transformation pro- 

 bably takes place, commencing, as we should, with 

 highly complex, almost nebulous, aggregations of 

 electrons. Thus we should get the transformations 

 of uranium in column 2, to radium, zinc, oxygen, 

 and finally helium, and again when we get others 

 polonium seems to disintegrate into bismuth, copper, 

 and nitrogen, and again thorium into lead, tin, iron, 

 and carbon, all these being corresponding series 

 in the Periodic Law differing alternately in their 

 electro-positive and electro-negative properties. But 

 as regards the hydrogen series it is rather difficult ; 

 there is probably some electro-positive element to 

 start with whose atomic weight is about 220 ; this 

 would probably degenerate into gold, caesium, 

 silver, rubidium, copper, potassium, sodium, 

 lithium, and finally hydrogen ; however, we have 

 not sufficient evidence to go upon ; all that can be 

 said is that some of the heavier elements do 

 change into lighter ones and that the lightest of 

 each group which form the constituents of proto- 

 plasm are most probably also the descendants of 

 highly complex elements in highly unstable states. 



The stable elements stand as the solar systems,^ 

 the unstable elements, and notably those which we 

 associate with biogen, being like the nebulae in the 

 larger scale of being. 



Nay, more, we should expect at least two kinds 

 of nuclear substance, one corresponding strictly to 

 the gaseous, the other more condensed and capable 

 1 Many fluorescent bodies contain helium. 



