Regardless of how greatly we may differ as to explanations of
its origin, life is an accomplished fact. H. E. Richter ¹ and Svante
Arrhenius, ² dodged the whole question of the origin of life by
suggesting that living spores--"seeds of being," Arrhenius called
them--reached the earth from outer space, impelled by "light-
pressure" which James Clerk Maxwell had shown to be an impor-
tant factor affecting the tails of comets. E. Pflüger ³ pointed out
the analogies between proteins and cyanogen compounds, and
suggested that living matter (protoplasm) arose from cyanogen and
other carbon compounds, which formed as the earth cooled. The
view is even now commonly expressed that "protoplasm" arose in
the "primordial oceanic ooze," when the warm oceans were blan-
keted by heavy mists and an atmosphere rich in carbon dioxide.

The following definition of protoplasm appeared in "Encyclo-
pedia Britannica:" ⁴ "A substance, composing wholly or in part
all living cells, tissues or organisms of any kind, and hence re-
garded as the primary living substance, the physical and material
basis of life. . . . A living organism of any kind whatsoever may be
regarded as composed of (1) protoplasm, (2) substances or struc-
tures produced by this protoplasm, either by differentiation of the
protoplasm itself, or by the excretory or secretory activity of living
substance." The total inadequacy of this definition led me to
remark: ⁵ "Although isolated protoplasm may maintain activity
for a short time under suitable conditions, it is incapable of self-
reproduction, and should be regarded rather as a highly specific
milieu in which the real, living self-reproductive units of cells
exist and function. The concept of protoplasm as the ultimate
'living jelly' is a relic of antiquated text-books and should be
definitely abandoned. The modern concept of protoplasm em-
braces the cytoplasm with its included nuclear and other par-
ticulate units."

-1-