Some chemical difficulties of evolution / by J.J. Maclaren.

  • Maclaren, J. J.
Date:
1877
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Some chemical difficulties of evolution / by J.J. Maclaren. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    98/264 page 76
    CHAPTER VI. SURFACE ACTION. It is well known that the presence of bodies in the state which we call living gives rise to chemical change among the molecules which are submitted to their influence, and that this is especially conspicuous in those cases where the living being is in a state of growth or increase. It might be urged that we are acquainted with cases in mineral chemistry where the mere presence of certain bodies, which themselves undergo no change, appears to give rise to chemical action, and that the action of living beings might be somewhat of the same kind. Let us therefore, in accordance with the method we have proposed, b]iefly examine those cases where no living being takes part in the action, but where we find chemical change induced under certain circumstances by the mere presence of various bodies which themselves remain unaffected. Such changes are of two kinds, the one where the concurrent chemical attraction of the atoms of the foreign body, aiding the mutual chemical attractions
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