The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-29

thus explaining. Prof. Haeckel, neverthe-
less, AYERS that 'all impartial psychologists
agree that such an explanation is possible
In principle, and that we have no need
Of introducing a special vital principle.
All the trophic (nutritive) processes, with
out exception. are subject to the law OF sub
stance" 1t Is certain that nutrition Is
always bound up with a chemical modl-
fcation Of the living matter. an organic
metabosm calculation OF matter) and
corresponding circulation Of force. In
this chemical process, plasm, or living sub
stance, Ia used up built up afresh, and once
more disintegrated The metabolism which
lies at the root OF the chemistry OF food
is the essential feature In the manifold
processes Of nutrition.
OF all the chemical processes the most
important, because the most Indispensable,
for the origin and upkeeping Of organic
life Is the constant reconstruction OF piasm'
To this process our author applies the name
Of plasmodomism asma-upbuilding), or
rbon-assimilation. The fact Is recalled
that botanists have been Of late accus-
toned to call the process briefly assimila-
ton, thus causing good deal OF misunder-
standing. The more common and older
meaning OF assimilation In animal physi-
ology was in the widest sense, the in
tussusception and preparation Of the
food received. The carbon assimilation
In plants, which our author calls plosmodom-
ism, Ia only the first and original form OF
plasma production. 1t means that the
plant Is able, under the influence OF sun
light. 10 form carbohydrates, and from
these new plasm. out OF simple Inorganic
compounds (water, carbonic acid, nitric
acid and ammonia), by synthesis and re-
duction. The animal is unable TO do this.
1t has to take its plasm in Its food from
other organisms; plant eaters take II
directly and animal eaters indirectly. The
title OF plasmophagous 10 given 70 these
animal 'plasma CATERS In working up
the foreign plasm it has eaten and con-
verting it into it's own specific form Of
plasm the animal also accomplishes as
similation; but this animal albumin as
sanitation is totally different from the vege-
tai carbon assimilation. The fresh formed
animal plasm is then broken up by oxyda-
ton. and by this analysis the energy needed
for the vital movements Is obtained. We
repeat that all true animals have 10 derive
their food from the plant kingdom; the
VeRetQl Iee0eTB ull6CbiJs lHc hNSAi
feeders indirectly, when they consume
vegetal feeders. Hence the animals are,
In a certain sense, as the older natural philos-
ophy put II hundreds of years ago. para
sites OF the plant world From the view
point OF phylogeny the animal kingdom is,
therefore, clearly much younger than the
plant kingdom The development of the
animals from the plants was, according
to Haecke, determined originally by
change in the method OF nutrition called
metasitsm.
After describing the functions which
the organs of water breathing and air
breathing discharge in the complex process
Of nutrition, the author directs attention
TO the fact that the function of removing
unusable matter is no less important to tho
organism than Is breathing. just as breath
ing gets rid OF the poisonous carbonic
acid. 30 the kidneys remove fluid and solid
excreta. Prof. Haeokel remarks that In
certain organisms special organs for rec
moving excreta would be superfuous mas
much az this function Is in their case per-
formed by the stream of water that Is con-
tinually passing through the whole body,
and then proceeds 10 show how special e1ore-
tory organs we're gradually evolved.