Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-01-23

OAASA SOS 4OOO.
VITALITY OF ANIMALS.
0ndsr Certain Conditions It Can Bs sus-
pended for . Long Time.
Familiar instances Of suspended vital
ity, or rather latent vitality, are af-
forded by seeds, which may be kept for
years without showing action, but are
Jet capable of being recalled to the ex-
ercise of the functions of l:fe. Other in
stances are Afforded by the lower organ
isms. which viii remain dry and sterile
for indefinite periods, to be brought into
fall activity at any time by supplying
the due degree of moisture and warmth.
Coming up to higher forms of life, the
same phenomena are usually manifested
In insects. one of the normal conditions
Of whose life-the nympha or eArysahs
state-is characterized by the exhibition
OF the external appearance of death.
During this stage the vital processes are
tempered down till only enough are in
effect to maintain merely vegetative
existence; yet the insect is capable of
slight motions when subjected to q shock
or pressure. The duration of this ap-
parent death varies according to the
species and to external conditions.
There are species that require two years
Of incubation before going through their
metamorphosis. Others pass to the per-
feet state in a few days. Butterflies de-
mand q certain degree of heat, below
which they will not issue. The opening
Of the chrysalis takes place naturally
when these atmospheric conditions are
realized If the season is late, the
Matching il also late. Hence we can
prolong the duration of the chrysalis
state indefinitely by properly adjust
Ing the temperature, delaying to that
extent the metamorphosis of the inn
prisoned mummy into the free and
winged insect Reaumur. by putting
chrysalides in an ice-box, was able to
keep them alive and retard their devel-
opmeht several years. Going higher up
In the animal series-eggs, which are
analogous to the seeds of plants, present
. remarkable example OF retarded life.
One of the most interesting features
about them is the independence of their
vitality. which persists even when the
individual that has produced them, and
within whose organism they are still
contained, has ceased to live. This fact
whore artificial fecuniation has been
successful with eggs taken from dead
hsh. The persistence Of life in frogs is
very long. Spallanzani preserved some
frogs in q mass of snow for two years.
They became dry. stiff, and almost fria-
BILE, but a gradual heat brought them
back to life. Toads have been shut up
in blocks of plaster, and then. having
NJ al air hot
may penetrate through the material.
and of all sources OF food. resuscitated
several years afterward. This question
presents one of the most curious prob
lens that biological science has been
called on toexplain. The longevity and
vital resistance of toads are surprising.
Besides the experiments We have cited.
nature sometimes presents some already
made, and vastly moro astonishing.
Toads are said to have been found in
rocks. Such cases are rare, but it
would be as unreasonable to doubt
them as to believe in some of the
miraculous explanations that have been
made of the matter. The phenomenon
II marvellous, it Is true, but it is sup
ported by evidence that we are not able
to contest; and skepticism. which Is in
compatible with science, will have to
disappear II rigorous observation shall
confirm it. The toad was observed, in
one case, in the stone itself, and before
recovering from its long lethargy 1t had
not made any motion. One of these toads
was presented to an academy. with the
stone which had served it as q coffin or
habitation, and it was ascertained that
the cavity seemed to correspond exactly
with the Dimensions and form of the an
imal. It is remarkable that these toad
stones are very hard and not at all por-
ous, and show no signs Of fssure. The
mind. completely baff1ed in the presence
Of the fact, is equally embarrassed to
explain how the toad could live in its
singular prison and how it became shut
up there. N. Charles Richet had occa-
sion to study this question some months
ago. and came to the conclusion that the
fact was real, observing that even If, in
the actual condition of science. certain
phenomena were still inexplicable. we
were not warranted in denying their ex-
istence. for new discoveries might at any
time furnish an explanation of them.
Tho true may sometimes not be proba-
ble." But science takes accounting of
the truth, not of the probability
Translated for Popular Science Monthly
from La Monde de La Science ct de L
1ndustrie.
The Discipline Of Judgment.
There is probably no human faculty
xhat Ia more in need of faithful and ma