The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-11-16

hlgher pepudes, the nearest approach to protein
yet produced The higher peptides" are not unlike
bacteria, but are not organized they partake OF the
nature OF fermens, which In scientific parance ara
known as "enzymes. Engines the active principe
OF yeast They wonderful and very mysterioua
attic oodes as yet little is understood their nature
science knows that engines will perform the most
marvellous tasks tasks wholly proportion 10 their
size and volume. 1t due to the enzyme IN vess, ,ht
bread is made to ferment and everyone knows what a
Tiny quantity OF yeast s needed to raise very Iarea
Quantity OF dough Perhaps the most astonishing thing
OF all about the engines is that after performing their
Task they themselves wholly unaltered as 70 form
sze' ouiK Their mere presence. in other words causes
the remarkable changes TO occur which the layman
orleny classes together "fermentation"
II TWO pieces Of platinum placed in an acid I,ouid
anu scp'ected 10 strong current OF electricity the
platinum VIII be pulled to pieces and the tiny particles
which remain will roll about in the liouId ,,to 4. ,o
cloud. II drop Of this be dropped into bydroyen
peroxide the metal liquid will behave itself very much
ING ah engine. 1t VIII decompose million times its
own volume OF peroxide and after performing mi.
giants task VIII have retained Its original form and
chemical composition.
frenoh chemist, DR.. stephane Leduc of the IJnyer
hy OF NANTES has produced chemical grorths which h.
'eins osmouc srowths. which, II anything are mora
wonderful even than Dr. Fischers higher peptides"
DE- Leduc strews calcium chloride particles into soI
ton OF alkaline carbonates, phosphates or ey;cat..
ana produces growths which bear remarkable re
semnlance to corals, plants. polyps and trees
Ihese growths, which, 1t must be emphas,zed ara .,
purely chemical origin. not mere forms that hav
crystailzed Into shapes resembling vegetable growtbs
They show all symptoms of youth old age decay and
death They do not by accreton like CRYSTALS bu,
by ntussusception which is the technical term for th
manner In which all organic matter builds up its cellular
ussue-that Is grows. This means that Il absorbs II.
nutrition like living beings. the nuriment tina
ABSORBED into substances which 1t able to assmilate
In growing as for instance sort of internal san NOT
unlike the sap of plant the blood of animals Thua
me Phenomena OF circulation is present and to this must
be added respiration
If injury is inflicted upon an osmotic growth u re-
pairs that injury in much the game way as the an,n,
organism heals wound inflicted upon It, It ia abe -
perform periodic movements, and most remarkable y,
all II the weight OF osmotic growth be- compared
with the weight OF the seed from which sprang it
VIII be found to be many times greater than that seed
while the liquid in which grew, on the other hand
loses weight showing that 1t has been used up by the
osmotic growth In process OF assimilation
Dr. Leduc does not claim that these osmotc growths
are organic matter but in view OF the many points
%ncn aney nave IN common with vegetable forms the
question arises. III they not vegetable forms, are
tney not at least intermediate form from which
vegetables can be developed?"