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

pounds" In 1875 Edward Pnnger, the
Psychologist, pointed out that living albumin
always contains cyanogen "a body COM
posed Of an atom Of carbon and an atom OF
nitrogen) but that dead nutritive albumin
does not. The belief expressed by him that
II Is cyanogen that gives its characteristic
vital properties to plasm is supported by
number Of analogies found to exist between
cyanide compounds, especially cyanic acid
and living albumin. Both bodies are fluid
and transparent at a low temperature,
while they sci at higher both Of them
break up in the presence Of water into
carbonic acid and ammonia; both produce
urea by disassociation. Pf0ger thought
the similarity OF the two substances 50 great
that he might describe cyanic acid as "a
serni-lving moecule" Both substances
grow in the same way, by concentration
OF the atoms, homogeneous groups OF
atoms joining together, chain wise. IN
large masses.
From the viewpoint of the theory OF
archigo and its possible physical basis
Prof. Haeckel finds especial interest In the
chemical fact that cyanogen and its COM
pounds--cyanide Of potassium and cyanlc
acid-are only formed atincandescenth ea t;
that is to say, when the requisite inorganic
heterogeneous compounds are put with glow
ing Goals. or the mixture is heated TO mean
descence. Other essential constituents OF
albumin, such as oarburetted hydrogen
or alcohol-radical, can be formed syntheu-
cally in heat Thus" thought Phuger
nothing Ia clearer than the possibility OF
the formation Of oyanic compounds when
the earth was entirely or partially in state
Of incandescence or great heat. We see
how extraordinarily all the facts Of chem
istry point to fire az the force which has
produced the constituents Of ALBUMIN by
synthesis. Hence life was born from fire.
and the chief conditions of its appearance
are associated with q time when the earth
was glowing ball Of fire, When we re-
member the intellectually long period in
which the surface Of the earth was slowly
cooling, we see that cyanogen. and the COM
pounds that contain cyanogen and car
buretted hydrogen, had plenty OF time and
opportunity 10 follow out TO any extent
their great tendency TO the transposition
and formation of chains Of atoms, and
with the cooperation of oxygen, and after
ward Of water and salt, 70 evolve into the
self-deconposable albumin, which is living
matter"
Neumester and other believers in a
vital force have pronounced Pfhger's
oyanogen theory untenable, because there
is an impossible gulf between cyanic com
pounds and proteids." Prof. Haeekel
holds that the criticism is answered by the
living albumin itself. which always con-
tains in it's heterogeneous decomposition
products the radical Of cyanide, or other
substances (urea) that can be artifcially
produced from cyanio compounds. An
other objection is that 'the cyanio com
pounds which were formed in the heat
must have very quickly persisted on the
subsequent appearance Of water Our
author submits that the objection has no
weight, because I'VE can form no definite
idea as TO the special conditions of chemical
activity In those times. We can only say
that the conditions during that long period
embracing millions OF years. were totally
different from those Of chemical action at
the surface Of the earth to-day. The real
ground of the opposition Of Neumeister
and other vitallsts is their duahstc concep-
ton Of nature, which will maintain at all
costs the deep gull between the organic
and inorganic worlds