644 Electrification produced hy Animal and VegetoMe Life. 



From experiments on the action of static charge on growing plants 

 Lemstrom* found that air positively ionised stimulated growth much more 

 than when the charge was negative. 



These observations agree with the view that there is an essential difference 

 in sign between animal and vegetable charge, that of vegetable growth being 

 positive. 



If then a supply of negatively charged matter raises the activity of animal 

 protoplasm and depresses that of bacteria, it may be even possible in disease to 

 stimulate the blood directly by the inhalation of negatively charged air. It is 

 worth examining where in nature air is found to have a free negative charge. 

 Elster and Geitelf have shown that at high altitudes there is always a much 

 stronger discharge of negative than of positive electrification. The action of 

 sunlight, especially of the ultra-violet rays, is to cause a leak of negative charge 

 from growing leaves and from pine trees in particular, the latter no doubt in 

 part fromi the discharging influence of sharp points. The presence of negative 

 charge in high pine woods from a combination of these causes may account 

 in some measure for their marked curative properties, in tuberculous disease 

 of the lung for example. In view of the difficulty of attacking tubercle in 

 situ and the importance of the desired result, the suggestion is offered that 

 the inhalation of air charged artificially with negative ions might prove 

 useful in the treatment of tubercle of the lung, either by raising locally 

 the activity of the blood cells or lowering that of the organisms. 



It may be remarked that nascent oxygen and chlorine, which in electro- 

 lysis carry a strong negative charge, are active bactericides, hydrogen, the 

 only electropositive gas, is not. 



7. Classification of Rudimentary Organisms. — When the cells are fresli or 

 active the described effect provides a sensitive means of distinguishing 

 between animal and vegetable. Thus Lycogala (Mycetozoa) moved to the 

 positive pole and was thus, in the specimens examined, animal in type. 

 Resting spores of Badhemia utricularis, after several hours in water, moved 

 equally well to the negative pole, as vegetable. Whether the latter obser- 

 vation is an example of the reversal of sign of an animal cell, similar to 

 that constantly fouiul with l)acteria, or an indication that the organism may 

 possibly 1)0 vegetable in type, requires further examination. Mr. J. J. Lister^ 

 observes that " Badhemia utricularis is exceptional in feeding on living 

 fungi, though it will also live and thrive on the same fungi after they have 



* S. Lonistroni, ' Electricity in Agriculture,' 1901, p. 62. 

 t 'Ann. d. I'hyHik,' 1!)0(), vol. 2, p. 42.5. 



X ' A Ticatiau on Zoology' (od. Sir JO. Kay Ijanko.ster), "Tlio Profcozoa," p. 49. 



