Washington sentinel., 1899-07-15

luE OAlGI SuD5AdhNC5 III lAS uGlBu
borhood, and yet remaining un-
altered in anyway itself. Ii can
exert influence without apparently
being affected by doinP so. Its
own constitution is stable, but 1t
possesses power to act, even at
distance. on certain Of its sur
roUndings, and produce great eff
jects on the constitution of other
matter, in some way not yet
thoroughly comprehended. 1t
will be seen at 4 glance that this is
very different thing from ordi'
nary chemical action. In chemi-
cal action one substance acts on
another by efecting some eX-
change, or producing some rear
rangement OF the atoms compris
ing both substances. In combln-
ing with another it must itself be
changed according to some def
mite law, and only through that
change can chemical action be et-
fected. Moreover, there is a def
mite limit to chemical action, and
when once the new combination is
brought about, and a stable equi-
librium ensured, then there is an
end OF the matter until new sub.
stances come into play.
But with engines the case is
very different. Apparently their
power OF influencing is illimltable.
They do not change themselves
and so they can continue to exert
the influence that is peculiar TO
themselves for an indefinite time.
There is no point Of stable equili.
brium in this relationship, En-
zymes stand in a position OF great
interest nowadays when the scar ch
among the beginnings OF lite is so
intense, and when the effort 10
prove or disproYe spontaneous
generation-the origin of life
from the non-liVing -i is so keenly
maintained by chemists and biolo-
gists, for in one instance certainly
where very careful and exact study
has been made OF an engine II is
suggested that the substance
stands midway between the or
ganic and the inorganic, that it is
the stepping stone across the gull
which has hitherto diYiCed the
great world oil the living from that
which has never known life.
Thus it appears that simple
consideration Of the change Of
color in a raw apple may lead back
to the most far-reaching questions,
and involve problems which touch
closely the most incomprehensible
matters Of life and being. The
particular engine - malase -
which is found in the cells OF an
apple effects its work by causing
some Of the oxygen OF the air to be
transferred from the air to a sub.
stance also found within the cells
the tannin-and it is suggested
that it serves, in some sort OF a way,
as a carrier. And the result OF its
intueLce on tannin is that the ma
ture is altered, and dark colored
substances, compounds OF oxygen,
are formed which dye the walls,
FIRST pinkish, then a dull red, and
finally dirty brown, 1t is obvi-
Gus that though the malase is
probably always present in the
cells, il cannot exert its influence
to any purpose while the apple is
whole and surrounded by a firm
clear skin, for the air cannot OBJ
tain admission until the peel is re-
moved or the apple cut through,
and hence there is no free oxygen
to work with. But when the cells
have been exposed the air enters,
the malase transfers, in some mys- !
terious way, the oxygen, the tan
min is changed in nature, and the |
cells are dyed with the products. |
1t is by no means certain that the
malase and the tannin must be |
side by side in the same cells for
this effect to take place. Lindet |
IS inclined to think they are not, |
and that the malase exerts its in |
Huence for some distance, but this
IS question which calls for FUR.
ther research before any more
definite answer can be given.