The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1907-10-01
BELIEVES GERM
Of LIFE WILL
Be DISCOVERED
Professor Loeb of State
University Issues
Bulletin
SCIENTISTS AROUSED
Noted Biologist Is Confident
That He Is on the
Right Path
SCIENTISTS AROUSED
MAKES EXPERIMENTS
Thinks It Possible to Pro-
duce Living Matter
From Inanirnate

BERKELEY, Sept. eo.-Professor
Jacques Loeb. the famous biologis,
of the university. in a bulletin issued
today from the Office of the president
makes the statement that he believes
the germ of life can be discovered,
provided the chemical reactions sur
rounding the process of fertilization
are investigated The announcement
Of Professor Loeb has been received
with great interest by the university
men of science as distinct step in
the discovery OF the production of
living matter from the inanimate
The university savant takes the
stand that all that differentiates living
matter from the machines which he
has produced in the laboratories OF the
uni, ersity is the power Of the animate
objects Of developing and reproducing
themselves automatically. All that is
therefore necessary ~ RI ,sr-s. s. 70 Z
the scientist TO discover Ia. chemical
process which causes the development
OF the egg into the embryo
Professor Loeb makes the following
statement IN his bulletin:
There may be difference of opin-
ion as to whether or not it viii ever
he possible TO produce living matter
from inanimate. but think we all
agree that we cannot well hope to sue
ceed in making living matter artif-
cially unless we have a clear concep-
ton Of what living matter is. Living
organisms have the popularity of de-
eioping and reproducing themselves
automatically, and it is this automatic
character Of reproduction and devel-
opmeut which differentiates them for
the tiFse being from machines made of
iuanimate matter. Hence the answer to
the question OF what living matter is
viii have TO be an aswer TO the ques-
ton what determines the phenomena
Of automatic development and repro
duction. Since ali life phenomena are
ultimately purely chemical, the answer
must consist in pointing out one or
more series of definite chemical reac-
tions, for which it can be proved that
they are identical with the phenomena
Of development and self preservation.
1t always seemed to me that the nat
ulsl starting point for a search after
this definite chemical reaction or series
Of reactions was the analysis Of that
process which causes the resting egg
70 develop into an embryo. namely the
process OF fertilization"
The sdmittsnce OF oxygen into the
fertilized egg is declared by Professor
Loeb 10 be one Of the greatest inn
portsnce. without oxygen he says the
egg cannot develop. OF this point he
saws. The fertilized egg cannot de-
veIop or increase the number OF its
nuclei unless an ample supply of free
oxygen is present. AS soon as oxygen
is admitted to the egg which has been
deprived of It the synthesis of nuclein
and segmentation begin again.
A rap ct the teachers of physiology
IS taken in the bulletin. Professor
Loeb decIsres that the statement thai
the sole object OF oxidation in living
cells is the production of heat is an
tiousted- He says:
BY way of digression may mention
that this role Of oxidation in cell di-
vision should induce teachers of
rh-sfolozy to discontinue the anti
ouated statement that the sole object
Of oxidation in cells is the production
Of heat OxIdstions occur in plants and
animals which DC not need TO keep up
q constant temperature. But In all
these animals synthesis OF nuciein
and cell divisions occur
The summing up of the bulletin
shows that Professor Loeb is working
along the lines suggested in his latest
writing He says that he has not as
vet had time to continue the expert
rneuts TO discover the germ of life,
although he thinks he is in the right
path. In the closing pages of the
pamphlet he says
7 have not yet had time to apply
these results to the eggs Of many
other forms, but believe from what
I rave seen that we are now in posses
sion Of at least some of the general
methods and principles OF artificial
psrthenogenesis. II seems that in gen
ersl the treatment Of the eggs with
aIkans or acids or certain acids, some
times with, sometimes without subse-
oueut frestment with hypertonfc sea
water, causes the DEVELOPMENT Of un-
fertiiizcd eggs"