The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-10-26
THE INFECTION OF IDEA.
A Theory OF Jacques Loeb Applied TO
Present DIstcmpers.


To TIE EDITOR OF THE SuN-Str: In
a lecturo delivered before the Sixth In
ternational Psychological Congress at Ge-
neva DR. Jacques Loeb OF the Rockefeller
Institute described experiments on inc
heiotropism OF bees, winged aphides and
minute crustaceans such as Cyclops and
Daphnia, and advanced the conclusion that
the movement of those creatures toward a
source of light IL completely explainable
on the basis of physIco-chemical reac-
lions. their conduct being entirely without
a possible element OF volition. DR.. Loeb
Is OF the opinion that the future advance
OF biological experiment very probably
may demonstrate that all animal conduct
Including that OF the human species. Is
determined by mechanistio processes OF
lnvarlable operation. In conclusion OF the
lecture Or. Loeb offered the following
Interesting suggestion:
The highest manifestation OF ethics
namely the condition that human beings
are willing to sacrifice their lives for an
Idea, In comprehensive neither from the
unitarian standpoint nor from that OF the
categorical imperative. II might be pos
sibls that under the influence Of certain
Ideas chemical changes for instance, In
ternal secretons within the body. are pro-
duced which Increase the sensitiveness to
certain stimuli to such an unusual degree
that such people become slaves TO certain
stimuli Just as the copepods become slaves
to tho iisht when carbon dioside IL added
to the water Since Pawlow and his pupils
have succeeded In causing the secretion OF
saliva In the dog by means of optic and
acoustic signals. II no longer seems strange
TO us that what the philosopher terms an
idea" 10 a process which can cause chemi-
cal changes in the body.
This suggestion OF the eminent investi-
gator may be conceived TO throw great
white light OF intelligibility on the multi
farlous alterations OF modern uplift. IL has
long been suspected that the poor victims
OF fanatical obsession are not responsible
there Is most excellent authority for that
belief Poisoned, every one OF them,
pcrmeatod through and through by the
noxious Becretions Of the erratic processes
Of thought supernduced by the infection
Of a visionary idea, the unfortunate
creatures are as helpless to resist the
nsidious fascination OF the agitator and
demagogue as Is the moth TO escape the
deadly attraction OF the candle fame.
observe the process of incubation and
suffusion In detail: Mr.. Bryan addresses
large and therefore presumably in
telligent Chautauqua audience on the sub
ject OF peace at any price. Ten thousand
auditors become infected with the idea,
and leave the tent with brains seething
with llusory imaginlngs. TheE ideallstic
activities stimulate the secretion OF
peculiar catalyzers or ferments within the
cell substance of the cerebral ganglla
which render the victim Of oratorical in
fection more sensitive thereafter TO
stimuli OF "A similar sort and this process ;
being advanced day by day, the ntellec-
tual organ becomes at last completely
saturated with the poisonous products of
It's abnormal metabolism and the mech
ansm " thought is bound in abject
H. -.
chemical secretions. In the particular
case cited the neuross manifests itself in
stubborn opposition to an adequate ma
tonal defence.
Once we grasp the Illuminating fact
that tho Infection OF a simple idea may
inaugurate n cerebral process OF catalytic
secretion resulting inevitably in violent
and uncomfortable tropisms II becomes
easy TO understand and to commiserate
the helpless case OF the victims OF dema-
gogic pestilence. II IL clear that, lacking
rcsistent antspastics. the incubation OF
fantastic idealism must run its course to
the complete degeneration of the ratiocina
tive faculty and function Populism in
fall!bly must develop into progresslvism
and at length into socialism, unlonism
enEender ldwlessness and at last an
archy puritanism beget Intolerance and
terminate In prohibition. suffrage agitation
| produce militancy and result in inCendi-
/ ~ i0iil anu StN pIurltHCy DTetu eugene
| publicity and eliminate in free love. In
the erulgent light of the biological science
soon to be available TO students OF con-
! temporary social phenomena these and all
/ similar manifestations of aberrant con
/ vlction and Incorporate conduct are 20 be
| classified properly as cases OF physico.
chemical au,o-intox!cation requiring psy.
! cho-medical treatment And IL become!
! therefore a Humanitarian duty to temper
moral condemnation with forbearance and
Christian for;!tude
But not forever Is our afflicted rae,
| destined to suffer these dstressfu
tropism6 OF imbec!!!ty. Although mech.
| nn!stic physiology is in It's infancy #
bears magnificent promise OF intellectual
| manumIssion for the generations to come
And when at last our psychopathic biolo
glsts shall have Isolated and analysed IN,
several catalytic secretions which deter
mine the symptoms of the various dis
tempers which dementate our unhappy
species we may rest assured that the dis
/ tempers themselves will Yield to treat
ment by means Of appropriate serums ant
vacclnes. FRED METcALF.
PLAINFIELD, ". j., October "a
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