Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-11-08
to persist When the harmonious adjust
ment is destroyed the man dies, and the
atoms seek other relations

toclate themselves; they want to get away
and make new combinations Man, there
fore, may be regarded in some sort as q
microcosm of atoms agreeing to constitute
his life as long as order and discipline can
be maintained But, of course, there is dis
affection, rebellion and anarchy, leading
eventually to death, and through death to
new forms of life. For life 1 regard as in
destructible That is, if matter is inde-
structible
"All matter lives and everything that lives
possesses intelligence. Consider growing
corn, for example. An atom of oxygen comes
flying along the air. 1t seeks combination
with other atoms and goes to the corn, not
by chance, but by intention. 1t is seized by
other atoms that need oxygen and is pack ed
away in the corn where it can do its work.
Now carbon, hydrogen and oxygen enter
Into the composition of every organic sub
stance in one form of arrangement or an
other. The formula Cho, in fact, is almost
universal Very well, then, why does
free atom of carbon select any particular one
out of SC, 900 or more possible positions un-
less it wants to? cannot see how we can
deny intelligence to this act of volition on
the part OF the atom.
Each atom Has WIN Power.
'sTo say that one atom has an affinity for
another is simply to use big word The
atom is conscious if man is conscious, 10 in
te!ligent if man is intelligent, exercises will
power if man does, is, in its own little way,
all that man is. We are told by geologists
that in the earliest periods no form of life
could exist on the earth.
''How do they know that? A crystal is
devoid of this vital principle they say, and
yet certain kinds of atoms invariably ar
range themselves in particular way to
form a crystal They did that in geological
periods antedating the appearance of any
form of life and have been doing it ever
since in precisely the same way Some
CRYSTALS form in branches like fern Why
Is there not life in the growth of a crystal?
Was the vital principle specially created at
some particular period of the earth's his
tory, or did it exist and control every atom
Of matter when the earth was molten? 1
cannot avoid the conclusion that all matter
IS composed of intelligent atoms and that
life and mind are merely synonyms for the
segregation of atomic intelligence.
''Of course there is source of energy.
Nature is perpetual notion machine, and |
perpetual motion implies sustaining and |
impelling force.
Solving the Problem OF Life. |
''When was in Berlin met Du Bois |
Raymond, and wagging the end of my |
finger, L said to him: What is that? What |
moves that fnger?' He said he didn't |
know: that investigators have for 25 wears |
been trying to find out. IF anybody could tell |
him what wagged this finger the problem of |
life would be solved.
There are many forms of energy resulting
from the combustion of coal under boiler
Ecme Of these forms we know something
about in practical way, but there may be
many others we don't know anything about
Perhaps electricity will itself be SUPER
seded in time, who knows? Now a beef
steak in the human stomach is equivalent
10 coal under a boiler. By o1idization it
eEcites exergy that does work, but what
form Of energy is it? 1t is not steam press
ure. 1t acts through the nerve cells, per-
forms work that can be measured In foot |
pounds, and can be transformed into cleo
tricity, but the actual nature of this force
which produces this work-which makes
efiec;ual the mandate of the willis un-
known.
Vital Energy May Be Electrical
at is not magnetism, it doesn't attract
Iron. 1t is not electricity-at least not
such form of electricity as we are familiar
with. Still, here it is necessary to he
guarded, because SO many different forms of
electricity are known to science that it
would be rash to say positively that we
hell ro4 -, ol |
electrical energy. We cannot argue any,
thing from difference in speed. Nerve force
may travel as fast as electricity, once it gets
E.arted. The apparent slowness NAV be in
the brain. 1t may take an appreciable time
FOR the brain to set the force going.
q made an experiment with frogs leg
that indicates something of the kind.
took leg that was susceptible TO galvanic
The vibration produced note as
high as pIccolo. While the leg was alive |
II responded TO the electrical current; when
II was dead it would not respond. After
the frogs leg had been lying in the labora-
tory three days L couldn't make it squeal
The experiment was conclusive as to this
point: the vital force in the nerves of the
leg was capable of acting with speed enough
10 induce the vibration of the diaphragm
necessary to produce sound.
Closely Related to Electricity.
Certainly this rate of speed is much |
greater than psychologists appear to allow, |
sHd 1t seems reasonable that there is close |
affinity between vital energy and electricity.
40 not say they are identical; on the con-
rarv, say they are very like. If one
,ould learn TO make vital energy directly
Without fuel, that is without beetsteak in j
he stomach, and in such manner that the
human system could appropriate it, the
.llNlr OF life would no longer be dream of [
lchenv. But We have not vet learned to ,
make electricity directly, without the aid
# Iuel anu steam.
Il believe this is possible; indeed, have I
'een EXPERIMENTING in this direction for t
ONE tlEie past. But until we can learn to {
make electricity, like nature, ont of dis
-rbed air, am afraid the more delicate task
manufacturing vital energy SO that it can
e bottled and sold al the family grocery | ,
tore viii have to be deferred.
The Supposiiion of Either.
Electricity, by the way, is properly 4
lerciy "A form ofeRergy and not a fluid. AS !
Or the ether which speculative science sup
Oses to exist, / don't know anything about
= NOBODY has discovered ANYTHING of the I
ind. In order TO make their theories hold \
Dgether they have, 1t seems to me, created ]
be ether But the ether imagined by them t
untEinkable tC re. l don't say / disagree e
18th them, because L don't pretend to have t
ny theories of that kind and am not COM t
etent TO dispute with speculative scientists. c
ii can say is, my mind is unable TO ac-
ept the theory. The ether, they say, is as
gid as steel and as soft as butter. / can't
3tch on to that idea
81 believe that there are only two things
the univeTse-matter and emery. Matter .
ran understand tn he iura1lfcenr for MAN IL