Morning journal and courier., 1881-02-16

tocether. while all their physiological phe- noInena are the results of the fundamental qualities of protoplasrn. Similarly, the com plex body of human being may be consid- cred as a combination of many tissues, in which each tissue corresponds to one of the
 qualities of protoplasm, which in it's particu- lar case has been speedily developed to serve
 it's particular purpose in the body.
 Animals and plants also undergo changes
 of form, increase of size and development
 of organization, at the same time undergoing
 a series of chemical changes of composition
 and decomposition, as a result of which there
 appears to be an incessant renovation of the
 molecules of the organism. Chemical changes
 are a necessary condition of the action of liv-
 ing matter, and during these changes part of
 this living matter dies, is deconposed and
 thrown out of the body. Now, matter in the
 there is perpetual change between the or
 panic and inorganic worlds, which is some
 times termed the circulation of matter.
 Again, the chemical composition of a living
 organism varies according to different phases
 in its evolution. This is plainly seen by
 comparing the analysis of a seed with that of
 fully developed plant, or of an egg with
 that of an adult animal.
 This change of chemical constitution dur
 ing age affects both the quality and the quan-
 tity of the organic substances composing the
 body. For example, there is progressive
 diminution of the amount of water from
 early life to old age, and it would also appear
 that living organisms toward the termination of life approach inorganic or mineral matter in composition; this in mans advanced
 years is associated with calcifcation of car
 tilage, whereby lime salts replace the organic
 basis of cartilaginous tissue, thereby lmpar-
 ing the elasticity of the body.
 The evolution of a living body is deter mined; it has commencement, an existence and an end; it passes through different phases which succeed regularly and ln cer- tain order At last death terminates the ev- olution of this living organism. When thls occurs the body is submitted to the action of external agencies, both physical and chemical. which ultimately reduce 1t to the simple ele- ment of which it was at first composed.
 But there is another kind of growth which living beings possess still more characteristic. This is the power possessed to a marked de- gree by certain lower forms of life of devel- oping new organs from the remnants Of old ones which have been removed from the body Thus if one of the five arms of a
 star fish is torn from the body, leaving but shred behind, new arm will gradually be developed by the rapid growth of new tls- sue, kind of growth which has no counter
 part in the inorganic world.
 Likewise living beings have certain lnd1- viduality which lies partly in the brain pow CT, partly in the individual organs of the body, and partly in the general relations these bear to one another. In general sense men are all constituted alike, that is, in their physiological form they resemble each other, and thus the character and individual pow CTS of human beings are to be traced not so much to any individual difference of form of the various organs of the body, but rather to qualities possessed by some or all of these organs-qualities which have quantitative exnression
 A distinguished German chemist has lately said that the life of all organisms depends upon chain of chemical changes We can perhaps go even farther and say that life is identical with chain of chemical changes. It is true the chain may be broken, there may be links wanting here and there to con- plete the circle, but certain it is that the life of all organisms, both vegetable and animal, is the result of a series of chemical changes or processes called up and maintained by ex ternal influences processes which are in themselves so ,powerful as to be able to produce the most diverse physical and me- chanical movements common to the body, as well as those higher and more elevated intel lectual movements which characterize human beings in distinction to the lower forms of animal ife.
 But while life undoubtedly does depend upon chemical processes for its existence, there is power, call it vital power if you choose, whose controlling will is felt in the guidance of theliving organism. And SO we are more inclined to the belief that vital forces may be only physi- cal forces which have been transform ed by passing through the organisms. However, the most intimate processes and phenomena of life still remain utterly inex- plicable In the words of Bastian, 'the thick husks have been removed, but the ker- mel of the nut lies hidden in an impenetrable shell" Thus the peculiar for native and creative power characteristic of lad Why, in the development of 8 plant, certain minute portion of the seed should produce a root, another portion a stem and still another portion the Ieaf and all with an accuracy which knows of no deviation from specific form, is an impenetrable mystery. * Let us now examine few microscopic
 specimens from various parts of the body, so
 that we may have clearer idea of the size, outline and relation of these protoplasmic
 cells to the body as whole