The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-12-31
Is in the Power Of Mankind, on
Minute Scale at Least if Claim
Made by Noted Chicago Scien-
fist is Submitted
.UNRAvELING OF THE
MYSTERIES OF DEATH
Experiments Conducted on Eggs
of the Sea UrchinMadePublic BY
Prof. Jacques Loeb at Meeting
of the American Physiological
Society

Society
Chicago, Dec. sO.-Experiments.
which it is claimed, are the beginning
Of the unraveling of the mysteries Of
death were made public by Prof.
Jacques Loeb at the fourteenth am
nual meeting of the American Physio-
logical Society at the University OF
Chicago tonight.
During the last summer the noted
scientist has been continuing his series
of experiments with the eggs of the
lower marine animals especially those
of the sea urchin and tonight, in
paper entitled con the prolongation OF
life of unfertilized eggs of the sea
urchin by potassium cyanide he told
group of the foremost psychologists
that by means Of observation Of the
effects Of certain chemicals upon these
minute bits of protoplasm he was
ready to make a tentative definition
of the heretofore unknown nature OF
death
Death, Prof Loeb affirmed. was not a
negative process a simple breaking
down of tissues, as 1t has been regarded
up to this time, but an active agent born
with the birth of the eggs and destined,
: of the life instinct and bring about ex-
/ tinction. But greater even than the
apparent discovery of this death agent
| in all substance, Is Prof. Loeb's an
nouncement that he has been able to
check it in the eggs of the sea urchin
at least, by means Of chemical agents
This, it is claimed, means nothing
less than that on a minute scale the
secret of eternal life is in the power OF
mankind.
The experiments, Prof. Loeb said,
were simple. Unfertlllzed eggs OF the
sea urchin were placed in q weak solu-
ton of potassium cyanide and adand-
oned for several days In ordinary con-
ditions an unfertilzed egg dies in few
hours, destroyed by the death agents
born with it. At the end of several
days the eggs were again examined and
were found to be still capable of fertil-
ization and of producing healthy ami
mails M
Ia explaining the results. Prof. Loeb
said that the 'motiferous processes"
were due to the actions of certain fer
ments Of an unknown nature where
the destructive tendency was counter
acted by the potassium.
Several other papers of Importance
were read during the meeting, Presi-
dent ID. j. L. Ingle of the University
of Chicago gave the results Of his re-
search into the erect or O. common salt
upon the heart beat. He declared with
great emphasis that, contrary to the
statements of Prof. w. M. Howard,
salt is the sole agent responsible for
the rhythmic action Of the heart.
Prof. +. S. Lee of Columbia Univer-
sity made some interesting reports
upon the action Of alcohol upon
muscles. BY experiments upon the
frog he demonstrated that q small
amount Of alcohol increased the work
ing power of muscle, and made more
rapid contractions in a given space Of
time and delayed fatigue That, in
short 1t made the muscle the much
better machine. In larger quantities,
however, alcohol was detrimental in
most respects.
Among the well-known scientists
who read papers were Profs. q. T.
Kemp of the University of Illinois,
A. r. Cushney Of the University Of
Michigan, G. Lush Of the University Of
New York and l. B. Mendel Of this
city.