http://worldcat.org/entity/work/id/428705355

Life its nature and origin

"The purpose of this book is to present in coherent order sufficient facts regarding material biological phenomena to show that life is dominated by catalysis--the direction of chemical change by surface areas of specific structure and efficiency. Catalysts not only direct the chemical changes essential to life, but some of these catalysts actually are the ultimate living units. Since matter is the physical basis of life, its successive structural levels are first considered, and then the ways in which atoms and molecules aggregate into masses, and the consequences of the intermixture of substances, even though some are present in mere traces. The nature of living units is next discussed, together with the catalytic mechanism whereby life exists, persists, and proceeds. Immunology, genetics, embryology, diseases and drugs and evolution are then reviewed, and some speculations as to the origin of life are outlined. Since the mental and spiritual aspects of life are quite as real as the material, the last chapter deals with the equally real interrelation between them, even though its basis is unknown. Each chapter should be considered as part of the whole general picture of life presented, rather than as a separate, isolated entity. Each topic is treated in as simple and elementary a manner as justice to the facts of nature will permit"--Preface. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved).

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