41 
“IS LIFE TO BE EXPLAINED BY MODERN CHEMICO- 
PHYSICAL THEORIES P” 
We have much pleasure in giving insertion to the follow¬ 
ing paper from the pen of a member of our profession, Mr. 
W. H. Kennedy. 
Wrexham Society of natural Science. 
On Tuesday, November 12th, the second general evening 
meeting of this session was held in the Savings Bank, Dr. 
Williams presiding. There was a very good attendance. 
The Rev. G. Williams, Gwersyllt, and the Rev. J. Lewis, 
Gresford, were elected members. 
Mr. IF. Hastie Kennedy , Hope Street, read the first portion 
of an interesting paper, based on the question, “Is life to be 
explained by modern chemico-jphysical theories ?” 
After some preliminary remarks, Mr. Kennedy said that 
modern philosophy would have us believe and accept as true 
that the organic and inorganic were one, that that which 
possessed life was to be regarded as in no way different from 
that which possessed no life. A living organism, they said, 
w r as simply nothing more than a collocation of inorganic dead 
molecules, acted upon by the ordinary chemical and physical 
forces of the Universe. Molecular activities, inorganic 
molecular actions and interactions, says modern philosophy, 
these are fully competent, and all that is required to bring 
about life. 
He proposed to show, in opposition to these theories, 
that we had an organic and an inorganic series, and that 
these tw r o series were not one and the same, that we had 
a living series and a dead series, and that these two were 
likewise not one and the same. Further, he would show 
that we had a living substance in nature, and that this sub¬ 
stance possessed living characteristics, and he would ask 
whether these living characteristics were referable to 
chemico-physical theories, or to some determing agency or 
power of a much superior and distinct kind, and which was 
quite apart from those ordinary forces which ruled alone, 
and only ungoverned amongst simple inorganic dead 
matter. 
The lecturer then pointed out the differences between the 
organic and inorganic, in general configuration, in chemical 
composition, in intimate structure, in mode of increase, and 
in cyclical change of state; showing also that the living and 
