The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-05-16
The Startling Discovery Just Announced BY a
Celebrated Scientist OF Germany.
CRYSTALS HAVE REAL ORGANIC LIFE
J hc ola Division or Nature Into
Organic mud Inorganic Mnttcr
Proven Comp ete!y Wr0n.-Ehoto.
graphs SHOW the Growth nud ID g
vcI"pment OF Rocks.
Baltimore American,

A strange story comes from Chicago
CHE which is Of great interest and inn
portance. If true. DR.. Won Hoist, of Chi
cage University. 1t is claimed. while
making a tour recently in Europe was
witness to The discovery. made by a
German scientist, Professor Won
Schruen. OF life in stones Won Schroen,
so the story goes has spent half his life
and nearly all of his money in working
out his theory. lie uses the strongest
magnifyinS glasses 10 watch the drvel-
opment in The rocks. and photographs
the results DR.. Won Hoist. according
to the story which is published in the
World. examined many of these photo
graphs. They show the crystal at its
BIRTH the head pushing forward from
the mother crystal, and the young ones
course is pictured until it grows away
from the mother. and the body becomes
complete.
The crystal" Won Hoist says, meets
another one from Il different mother.
The two then fight, striving and slash
ing against each other. Their battles
are to the death. one Invariably being
killed Crystals from the same mother
never fight. however. no matter where
they meet" which Is saying more for
crystals than for those in the higher
ranks Of life Even IN the human race
The members Of family have Daen
! known to disagree, and among the
brutes recognition of rela tonship rarely
survives the helpless period DR.. Won
Hoist is represented as saying n good
deal more the most startling being that
Spencer has studied his friends views,
and is struck with Their tremendous inn
pnrtance, and enthusiastic over their
discovery. 1t will be interesting to
learn what Spencer has To say ii true
it Is tremendous. The world has here
tofore been divided into organic and
inorE anic matter, stones being classified
among the latter.
People have thought that If there Is
anything that Is Inorganic. inert, slug
stsh. absolutely dead, 1t is an ordinary
boulder. Skilfui artists have trimmed
them into life, but this has been un!ver-
sally regarded as a figure of speech
applying to the genius Of the sculptor
| rather than any vital spark in the cold
marble; but according to this story
there Is no such thing as Inorganic mat
| ter, except that which has lived and
| died If u rock has life, it would be
ridiculous to assert that any other kind
Of matter Is deprived OF it.
There is one possible explanation OF
| the Professors discoveries. His inves
| legations ought to have covered it; but
| as he appears to be an enthusiast. per.
| haps they did not. All stones are form
| cd by some sort Of slow process. The
dropping Of vapor forms some. the birtl
and death of animalculae others and
! still others are formed by gradual ac.
| cretiCns Of hard substances 1t is posi-.
BILE that his Investigations were directed
| to stones formed by minute ani,nnlculat
which latter he accepted rs the birth
| and struggles OF crystals When ono
has theory. the temptation is strong It
accept anything which agrees with il
| and to discard whatever an,agon!2cs it