Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-04-23
THE GERMS OF LIFE:
LECTURE AT RICHMOND COLLEGE By
PROFESSOR B. N. MARTIN.
His Subject Last Night. Vital Prinei-
pies, or Living Matter,
whichi

Professor IT, Newell Martin, Of Johns Hopkins
University, last night delivered the third OF Dis
serios Of lectures on Biology In Thomas Hall OF
Richmond College. his subject being Vital
Principles or Living Matter, Which"'
Owing TO the many other attractions OF the
evening. and 70 the fact that the diversions OF
tho day hsd occupied and exhausted many VINO
ha1 been attending mis- course, his audience was
scarcely as large as on the two previous occa-
sions but the learned lecturer had among his
hearers some OF the greatest thinkers OF the
city, aud the appreciative atteption they gave
him was evidence OF the scholarly treatment OF
his difficult subject
DAY or SNAIL THINGS.
Professor Martin commenced with the remark
that 80 far as the natural sciences were con-
cerncd person Inclined 20 paradox mightasaer
that this was the day OF small things. but tne
fact was, that this Is the age In Hhich men nave
iust thoroughly taken TO heart the lesson that II
they would understand the big phenomena OF
nature they dare not ignore the small. In the
sciences based on observation aud experiment
mon began by observing and trying TO explain
conspicuous phenomena, or those whicn most
nearly touched them personally as human
beings.
STUDY OF MEN AND WOMEN.
As regards tho study OF living things we need
not then be surprised that il began With the OBJ
servatOn OF men and women; AMI That early
biological theories were mainly based on what
tho Individual man observed on hifnseii OF ms
follows. And Il required all the ages until ABOUT
100 years ago 10 gain glimpse OF the fact thht
10 base beliefs as 10 the nature oi HE or HhA' was
seen in human beings was much IKE trying 70
balance cone ON its apex.
DEATH.
A savage falls dead. His body seems intact
hut ia inert ,npassive, iifeless Tho most Oh
vious explanation, and that which early nan
adOpted was thai some vital essence or Viai
principle had departed. When neath occuIred
more slowly from wound or dreaSe y was IN IKE
way accounted for as due 10 slow departure Oh
tho vital principle. which az IL gradually renden
itself from The body onfeebled the various Or
gaDA
sifed by the tendency OF the then prevailing
philosophy 10 explain all tho properties oi mat
Ter by the imminence Of some mysterious tOrce
or princ1ple-somethiug rot matter, ye' glvlng
matter its powers. an lhhoilAhco, Ci SDanV1'
from some OF tho greatest schools OF creek PM
losophy.
LrPE AND TBH SOUL.
So far AZ inanimnte objects ere concerned this
sort Of thinking has been generally absndoped.
We do not any longer ascriDe tne pIVpeides, ol q
piece Of chalk to principle Of "chslkority :" pro
sent in It, But the word life Is regarded py
many az implying the presence OF
"pTinciple OF vitality" in the hTlhg oD-
ject AID this IL the easier, because
go far as human life is concerned many
persons cOnfound this suppcsrd vital principle
with tho soul The early fathes-St lnoinas
Aqunias for eXampIe-reanled tilhl the soui haN
nothing 10 do with the vital principles or dittm0
OF which they recognized tbree-a nur1tiye,
sentient. and rational. But as man alone had a
soul, and was also supposed TO De alone c't'aUIo
of reasoning It is easy 10 see how later and less
careful thinkers came 20 confuse the two. Ana
40 10 the vital principle were ascribed the pro-
perties OF the soul; and II was regarded az
single, indestruciible, indiyisiole emily, re-
siding in living things for q time and then lesV-
Ing them, when they In consequence became
dead.
TIE TERRAPTN.
When experimental science commenced in the
Renaissance it was soon perceived that tho idea
OF a single indivisibe vital principle was un-
tenable because animals could Do cut into many
parts all OF which might remain alive.
The lecturer illustrated this fact by expert
roents with tho muscles aud heart OF n teTTapln,
and fben went ON o point w that the life OF any
ono Of the higher auiinals was the resultant, the
outcome Of the lives OF many essentially inde-
rendent living Orfsas: and the life OF theso or
gam again OF the liyngs ana doings OF the
minute pieces OF living matter known as cetIs.
PROTOPLASM.
With the aid of the lantern the structure OF
cells was shown. aud bat they all agreed In
containing some of scuiiar KIND or matter
found only In living things and known as pJoto-
pldsU. ,c
ed In minor points in various living things. and
also in different parts OF the same organism.
But wherever We mud one OF the group oil Ihoto-
never see them unless pr0toplRsm be present.
The remainder Of the lecture Was chiefly DO
voted 10 a study OF the properties OF proto-
plasm and 10 an attempt TO get donnition OF
life.
In ultimate analysis, the lecturer asserted,
that oil living hugs agreed In one, and only IN
one fundamental property-that OF asaimilatlng,
OF taking up matter not protoplasm and build
ing il into protoplasm, and IN this living matter
differed from all dead matter
TIE FUTURE.
In conclusion, Professor Martin pointed out
thar we could not say when in TIE geological
ages the irst protOplAsm had appeared 90 inc
earth. But its appearance marked ah epoch
since from that moment assiiniatinR ana selt-
perpetuAtng matter began It's struggle with in
animate nature. A strRggle as regards its hnal
outcome doubtful, since II, as astronomers tell
US. toe run Will in time cool and water in the
liduid form no longer exist on our earth, u
seems as IL living matter as we know II could no
longer maintain Itsoif. Buttn the present phase
Of the struggle LIVING matter in some OF It's
myriad forms is gaining more and more the
m master over dead.
TONIGHT.
Professor Martin closes his course Of lectures
here 70 night with a discussion OF the popular
subject The Minds Of Animals"
MUSIC AND TIE DRAMA.