A MECHANICO-PHYSIOLOGICAL THEORY OF ORGANIC EVOLUTION

Certain organic compounds, among them albumen, are neither
soluble, despite their great affinity for water, nor are they fusible,
and hence are produced in the micellar form. These compounds are
formed in water, where the molecules that arise immediately
adjoining each other arrange themselves into incipient crystals, or
micellæ. Only such of the molecules as are formed subsequently and
come in contact with a micella contribute to its increase in size,
while the others, on account of their insolubility, produce new
micellæ. For this reason the micellæ remain so small that they are
invisible, even with the microscope.

On account of their great affinity for water the micellæ surround
themselves with a thick film of it. The attraction of these micellæ for
matter of their own kind is felt outside this film. Hence the micellæ
with their films unite themselves into solid masses permeated with
water, unless other forces overcome attraction and re-establish a
micellar solution (as in albumen, glue, gum), where the slightly
moving micellæ show a tendency to cling together in chain-like and
other aggregations. Very often there are found, especially in
albumen, half liquid modifications intermediate in fluidity between
the solid masses and the micellar solution.