LABILITY AND ENERGY IN RELATION TO PROTOPLASM. 395 
the group whereby the opposite form,of the group becomes pre¬ 
ferable ; and conversely, that when the hydrogen atom has 
moved back past the mean position and approximated itself to 
the oxygen atom, the opposite phase now becomes superiorly 
attractive ? That would seem to be implied, for in that way only 
would be rendered possible the persistence in the group of an 
oscillatory movement whereby kinetic energy is preserved in the 
form of continuous atomic motion. But if that is Dr. Loew’s 
view, he has not expressed it clearly ; nor does he anywhere 
indicate his conception of the mechanism by which this changing 
play of the intramolecular forces may be supposed to be kept up. 
To return to our original rough analogy, unless something can be 
imagined more or less similar in its mode of working to the 
alternate play of electric and mechanical stresses in the faradic 
battery, the hypothesis of the oscillating atom in the labile group 
seems difficult to maintain.” 
I do not undervalue this criticism, for even specialists in 
molecular science have not yet penetrated the mysteries of 
lability of organic compounds. Thus, Grant Allen declares : (1) 
“ Atomic motion may be separative as in decomposition, or 
aggregative as in the act of combining, the continuous or neutral 
stage is not at present known though there is reason to think that 
it exists." “ Atomic motion is not known to have any continuous 
form analogous to the orbital motion of a planet, the spinning of 
a top, or the regular vibration of heat.” Ostwald argues: (2) 
“ Living organisms behave like katalytically acting substances. (3) 
The problem, however, of the mode of action of a katalytic sub¬ 
stance is not yet solved. A start is made by the recognition 
that hydrogen ions can, in proportion to their number, accelerate 
certain reactions. It is physical chemistry to which we must 
look to throw a light upon the riddle of life.” In a later article, 
however, Ostwald declares that katalytic actions could only be 
expected to receive explanation by new principles which lay 
beyond the laws of energy. (4) Before I enter upon a further 
(1) Force and Energy, Cliapt. VI and VIT. 
(2) Chem. Centr.-Bl. 1894 I. p. 4. 
(3) This analogy was first recognised more than forty years ago by the physiologists 
Ludwig and Lehmann. Cf. Lehmann, Lehrb. der physiolog. Chem. 1853. 
(4) Aula 1895, Nr. 1. To be sure, nothing can be more hopeless than to search for 
Ostwahf s “ Neue Principien, welche über das Energiegesetz hinaus gehen ! ” 
