Ideas on the Affirmative Principle of Life and the Negative Principle of Death

Where the influence of light-acid original: "Lichtsäure." An archaic chemical concept where light was viewed as a physical substance capable of acting as an acidifying principle. on carbon arises, there is also electricity, or metallic excitation original: "Metallerregung." The author treats metals as if they possess a biological "excitability" similar to living nerves..

If the action of light-acid on carbon is cut off, then the body is insulated.

Since the light-acid (or light-stimulus original: "Lichtreiz.") and the soapy essence of light original: "saifenartige Lichtwesen." In the 18th century, "soapy" or "saponaceous" often referred to substances that could bridge the gap between oil and water; here, the author likely suggests light has a mediating, fluid quality. (or light-matter original: "Lichtstoff.") have a closer affinity with glass than with metals, this is the reason why glass insulates. At the same time, it is also why glass becomes electrified: because through the act of rubbing, it gives off the active light-matter (or the metallic stimulus original: "Metallreiz."), which the carbon (or the metallic excitability original: "Metallerregbarkeit.") absorbs, producing the phenomenon we call electricity.

Every stimulus can only act perceptibly when a receptivity to stimulus original: "Reizempfänglichkeit." A term borrowed from the "Brunonian" medical system of the time, which viewed life as a balance between external stimuli and internal excitability. appropriate to its strength coexists.

We see the truth of this proposition in electrical experiments, where stimulus and excitabil-