Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1902-01-14
LIFE EVER LASTING
-~--srus
MAY Be POSSIBILITY

Chicago, Dec 3O.-Another startling |
scientific discovery in psychology, |
which some ycstigators say Is a long
step toward revealing the secret of inn
mortal life and by which science has
succeeded in checking the death proc
ess in the living cell. was announced
by Professor jacques Loeb Of the Uni
versity Of Chicago today. The an
nounCement was made at the first ses-
sion OF the annual conference vi
American Psychologists, which Is
meeting at the university. and was the
cause Of considerable stir among the
many scientists present.
Professor LOeb's paper, the subject
Of which was "PrOlOngatiOn of life in
|unfcrtilized eggs OF the sea urchin by
potassium cyanide. gave the result OF
| experiments conducted by himself and
/ his assistants at Woods HOll. Mass
last summer He said:
AS the result Of my experiments on
the eggs Of the sea urChin and star
fish ! am Of the opinion that death is
not due to disintGgration in the life
cell. Death is an active process,
which starts with the first appearance
Of life in the cell and which, If not
checked, leads to annihilation. My
experiments show that in an unfertiliZ.
ed egg two processes start at once
one toward life and the other toward
death. My object was to find some
substance that would check the death
process and be presorvative OF life
in the cell.
The egg naturally dies AT once I'm.
less II becomes fortilizCd Enzymic
action. or sort OF fermentation, seems
to he responsible for this mortiferous
process. Hoping to Counteract this
CnZymiC action ! put some eggs into
solution of potassium cyanide and
the result was impressive beyond our
fondost dreams.
Not only was the death process in
the eggs checked, but the solution act
ed as a presCrvativc of the life cell
That life was thus sustained was prov
ed when the eggs were removed from
the solution and hatChed. succeed
ed in preserving life in this way as
long as seven days
What the ultimate results Of expert
\ ments upon the budding cell life d
higher animals will he scientists
4 would not venture to predict.
Professor Martin Fischer. one o
4 Professor LOcb's assistants. declared
ludl dbllltN d tncCh the ueatn process
in cells from which the mature anima
H springs means the solution of tn,
u problem of endless life. scientists ar,
4 eager to see how far up in the ANNA
4 scale Professor Loeb can control con
h ditiOns Of life and death.
Several other papers OF importanC,
were read during the meeting. Pro
lessor d. J. Lingle OF the Univorsit,
oi Chicago gave the results of his re
II search into the effect of common sal
upon the heart beat. lie affirmed will
great emphasis that, contrary to tn
statement of Professor Howells o
Harvard. salt is the sole agent re
sponsible for the rhythmic action o
the heart.
Professor +. S. Lee of COlumbi
University made some interesting re
ports upon. the action of alcohol upOl
muscles. BY experiments upon tn
frog he demonstrated that n SINAI
amount Of alcohol increased the work
ing power OF muscle. enabled 1t t.
make more rapid COntraCtiOns in
given space Of time and delayed ia
tigue; that. in short. II made the mus
Gle much better machine. In large
quantities, however, alcohol was dctr
mental in all respects.