New-York tribune., 1905-08-13

TINE experiments in which have been engaged
have aroused much public interest, and
have caused many suggestions. criticisms
guarded and unguarded, whether friendly or other
wise that | now, however reluctantly, COM
PEELED to speak. Primarily / want to point
the great danger there is of a preliminary scientific
note in a scientific journal being misunderstood to
some extent, as | fear it has BEEN and perhaps
also misconstrued by the enthusiastic mind of the
public.
The question as TO whether the microscopic forms
which l have obtained with sterilized bouillon -
the ordinary culture nediun-and radium are or
are living things depends altogether upon what
our conception of life IS and upon how broad or
how narrow is the definition willing to accept
of the phenoma of vital processes When these
atoms which have obtained examined through
a microscope a distinct indication of growth and
segregation Is They reach a certain size and
then divide That would indicate clearly that
they not crystals. They are possibly primitive
form of life. Everything, nearly So is radio
active-the earth is and in some suitable medium life
may have originated the earth in such manner.
The profeSsed biologist, 1t seems q do not
profess be one, since physics Is the subject to
which have been particularly devoted should have
the right speak and 10 decide for the question
as TO what Is TO be understood by living and not
living matter; what is this unit atom of life;
whether il is a man, acorn microscopic cell
the atom of radlun, something else that we
know nothing of. In the realm of chemistry till
eight years ago the chemist ruled supreme. To
him the atom was the sacred structure. 1t
anathe1na to all who would divide it. But the
physicist viewed il from different standpoint In
stead of looking down on 1t as the smallest of things
he looked up to it great compared with the
smallest that he knew and promised for 1t many
possibilities In this struggle he has been victorious
and the conquered territory, to speak, the
bOrderland between the two sciences has led us to
form closer ties of friendship and clearer under
standing between chemists and physicists alike
Why should it not be with the biologist?
Nav II not be that a mutual understanding Vet
can be arrived at with them, and that yet may
become allies in the field that the dif erenCes
that apparently exist should be found TO be due
merely TO some nisapprehenson irreevancy?
Pasteur was physicist and chemist, but he followed
his studies where they led him with an open mind.
Tyndall also a physicist In my own small
way too perhaps may be permitted to pursue my
experiments with freedom, Wheresoever they may
lead There are questions in biology Of the deepest
interest to the physicist. What | have obtained
seemed in the first instance to have been either mi
croles or CRYSTALS neither of these but
thing in the border-line between them. and TO my
mind they appear now to approximate more closely
TO bacteria than to crystals ordinarily under
stood though strictly speaking they appear to d or
largely from both; but make this statement with all
due reserve Until powerful instruments
for which / am waiting at present, at hand
should prefer TO withhold further opinions this
subject.
The third possibility is at present he most prob