Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1847-03-18
THE MICROSCOPE AND IT'S
REVELATIONS.

STRUCTURE OF ORGANIZED BODIES.

important results of the improvement of the
microscope, namely, the ultimate structure
of all organized bodies. We have already
shown that the simplest form of Monad con-
sists but of a single cell, that many others
of the same family are but collection of
individual Monads, either attached to COM
mon base or contained in globular integu-
ment. The Vibrio, or trembling anmalcule,
again, for example, is series ofmany indi-
viduals united together in a flexible chain,
from imperfect spontaneous traverse divis-
ion and the same remark holds good with
regard to the lowest forms of vegetable life
In the large Fuel, or seaweeds, the whole
fabric consists of cells, and the fresh-water
ConfervD are merely jointed films composed
of cells common mould or mustiness is a
cluster of plants formed of cells only, and
in the yeast fungus and red snow the entire
plant consists of one isolated cell and when
we carry our observations still further, we
find that the most complicated organs both
in the animal and the vegetable are made up
but of an aggregation of simple cells These
elementary cells have now been detected in
almost all the solids and fluids both of veg
etable and animal bodies; in the sap and
SuccuS prOprius of vegetables, and in the
blood, chyle, milk, and other fluids of ami
mails; in the fecula, albumen, parenchyma
of the leaves, cells of the flowers, &c, of
plants, and in the cellular membrane, mus
Gle, brain, nerve, glands, &c, of animals
As far as our present powers of observation
go, there is no apparent difference in the for
nation of these cells, although it cannot but
be believed that they must be endowed with
specific properties. Thus, for example, one
set of cells secretes bile, another fat, anoth-
err the nervous matter but how these spe-
cial products are formed by cells apparently
of similar organization from the same nu-
TRENT fluids, we know not: many theories
have been advanced. Thus, DIR. Willis has
suggested whether this difference may not
result from the different modes in which the
elementary globules are disposed, and he
adds, " it is not improbable that the differ
enc of function they exhibit may yet be
found in harmony with, and perhaps depen-
ding on, peculiarly Heterogeneous in their
constituent molecules" In the work of DR..
Mantell, another theory is thus limited at -
Whether the special endowment belong
ing to the system of cells of aparticular or
gan depends on the intimate structure of the
walls or tissue of such cells and this struc-
ture is so attenuated and infnitesimal as to
eude observation; or whether it results from
the transmission of some peculiar modiica-
ton of that mysterious vital force we term
nervous influence, are questions to which,
In the present state of our knowledge, no
satisfactory reply can be given. "-'Thoughts
on Animalcules,' p. 90.
But although the researches of microsco-
pists have taught us that cells are the ex-
IRENE limit of animal organization that the
but an aggregation of cells, each endowed
with specific properties, capable only of per-
forming particular functions; we must care
fully guard against the idea that there is
therefore, any identity between these various
cells of various animals any identity, in
fact, between the primary cells of the sim
plest animals or vegetables, much less be-
tween those of more complicated organiza-
ton. 1t is to such hasty generalization, to
deductions thus made either from misrep-
resentation or misconceptlon of facts, that
we owe so many ofthe absurd and fallacious
theories of the present day Perhaps one OF
the best examples of the errors into which
such hasty generalization invariably leads
is to be found in work which has, from its
ingenuity and eloquence, gained great pop
ularity we alude to the 'Vestiges of the
Natural History of Creation All animals
and plants, as we have said, are to be re-
garded as definite aggregations of cells, en-
dowed with specific properties in the differ
ent types, and subjected to a neuer carrying
iaw Of developement. And yet, overlooking
this latter fact, the author has erected the
DRY of creation which may, perhaps, be best
stated in his own words. We quote them as
they occur in the fourth edition of the work
"The idea, then, which | form of the
progress of organic life upon our earth and
the hypothesis is applicable to all similar
theatres of vital being, is that the simplest
and most primitive type under law to which
that of like production is subordinate, gave
birth to the type next above it, that this a.
gain produced the next higher, and so on to
the very highest, the stages of advance be-
ing in all cases very small, namely, from one
species only to another; so that the phe-
nomenon has always been of a simple and
modest character"
Or, in other words, the Monad was first
created it gave birth to the next species in
the link, and so on, until from the monkey
sprang man. To the unphilosophical read
er this doctrine may appear, at first glance,
to bear upon it the impress oftruth; but al
lowing for moment that such were the case,
how is it, it may be asked, that these cells
have lost such remarkable endowment .
How is il that the more ambitious monkeys
do not still convert themselves into or give
birth to meni And again, this progressive
development, at all events in our present
state of knowledge, is directly in contradic-
ton to facts; the stages of advance could
not, in all cases, be very small-the differ.
ence in the organization Of reptiles and
birds, and again, of birds and mammals, is
great; and, as far as we know, there is no
intermediate class of organized beings to
diminish the wide gulf which separates them.
Here, therefore, the Development could not
have been gradual--the stage OF advance
could not have been very small.
DIR. Mantel was one of the very first phi.
losophers who showed the fallacy of this
plausible theory In the work now before
us, he has again adverted to it, and in oui
opinion, has clearly exposed the error which
pervades it. With an extract from his re-
marks, we close this part of our subject;
Although it is now a received physiolo'
gical axiom, that cells are the elementary