A speculative field theory of matter is developed. Simple computational methods are used in a preliminary survey of its consequences. The theory exploits the known properties of leptons by means of a principle of symmetry between electrical and nucleonic charge. There are fundamental fields with spins 0, ½, 1. The spinless field is neutral. Spin ½ and 1 fields can carry both electrical and nucleonic charge. The multiplicity of any nonzero charge is 3. Explicit dynamical mechanisms for the breakdown of unitary symmetry and for the muon-electron mass difference are given. A more general view of lepton properties is proposed. Mass relations for baryon and meson multiplets are derived, together with approximate couplings among the multiplets. The weakness of $\phi$ production in $\pi -N$ collisions and the suppression of the $\phi \to \rho +\pi$ decay is explained.

• Received 23 March 1964

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRev.135.B816