New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-07-03
LIFE WITHOUT PRETIOrS LIFE.

An Indiana physician named Iittlefield an
nounces that he has evolved living organisms,
resembling gnats, from inanimate matter. This
is not the first time he has made the state
ment The same story told on the same
authority at least a year ago No good reason
existed for accepting it then. and there has
been no change in the situation since that time.
DR.. Littleteld is represented as saying that the
real basis of life is vibration The supposition
may be entirely correct, but he furnishes no
new cause for thinking So He merely reiter
ates an idea that originated with others, and
he fails to show what it has to do with the
case in hand. If he We're to assert that by cX-
citing vibrations of a certain frequency mechan-
ically he was enabled to impart these to the
dead minerals or lfeeSs solutions that formed
the subject of his experiment, one could see the
pertinence Of his remarks, even if not con
WINGED TO his yeracity. As it is, he must he
regarded, not necessarily a wilful prevariCator,
but at least a man Of limited knowledge and n
person who, being unwilling or unable TO sub
stantiate his claims, is not entitled to conf
dence
The notion that life could originate without
previous life prevailed widely in the Middle
Ages 1t was derived from observation OF
such familiar phenomena the development
of parasites in various articles of food, more
particularly flesh The first man 10 dispute
the doctrine positively Italian natJi-
ralist Of the seventeenth century, Red He
was the author Of the maxim, "Omne vivum
ex vivo"-all life comes from other life. Redi
showed that by covering meat with gauZe, so
that flies could not lay eggs in upon it, the
appearance Of the kind OF parasites in queS-
ton could be prevented. A second battle, near
~ hundred years later, was necessary before
the principle was established. A reaction had
set in, and the old fallacy had found many
distinguished advocates, one Of whom was Buff
fon. The later doubts were aroused by the
discovery Of microscopic organisms now known
as infusoria, in water in which dead vegeta-
ton was stepped. Spallanzani another Italian,
disposed of these msgivings by II conclusive
demonstration. lie took a bottle Of the con
taminated fluid, subjected it to the temperature
of boiling for three-quarters of hour, and
sealed it in such way that fresh germs could
not get in from the air No infusora or other
animalcule could be found. and Redis ideas
have since held almost universal sway In the
domain of biology. If DR.. Littlefeld will pro-
cure a copy of the address on Spontaneous
Generation" delivered by Huxley before the
British Association for the Advancement of
Science, and examine the same carefully he
may possibly learn something to his advan-
| tage.
Should he persist thereafter in telling other
people that he can evolve life without previous
| life, he escape condemnation in only one
| way. He should invite reputable biologist to
prescribe and supervise test which will prove
the truth falsity of his belief. No discovery
| in astronomy, chemistry electricity or other
science is accepted by its devotees without cor
roboration Unless Dr. Littlefeld can secure
this, the less he has 10 say the better. 1t might
| assist him in finding the source Of his error
| If he is still honest, to send specimens of the
| insects which he says he has produced to a
| competent entomolOgst for Identification. If
| the species is recognized, perhaps hint may
| be afforded concerning the method by which
| the germs obtained access to the fluids with
| which he experimental. However, such a step
is not necessary. The one great essential is so
| TO shape the conditions of the test as to insure
the destruction and exclusion Of pre-existing
organisms and TO put that task in competent
and independent hands In the mean time
wise people will continue to believe that the
mighty secret Of the origin Of lire has not yet
| been revealed by science.