The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1894-01-17

which pertain to nature about us, and
even the life within us, be gan to grow
into symmetrical wholes, and to clas- |
sify the knowledge gleane i from the
great field of experience. However,
| shall not speak longer OF the growth
of science in general, but conhne my
self to the subject before me-Biol-
ogy.
First, let me speak of the compara-
tive usefulness and value Of scientific
knowledge as compared with the
other sciences OF Mathematics, Ian
guages, etc. Notwithstanding the
tanacity and zeal with which men
cling to the classics and mathematics, i.
| see no reason why the sciences
should stand above the sciences of
nature and of life itself in importance.
1t is of vital interest to us that we
should understand our own bodies in
order that we may be able'to preserve
life. Again, no deeper subject can
claim our thought than that which per-
tains to our origin~existence, and pres
ervation as living beings.
Biology treats ofthe origia and ex
istence ofliving things or Of matter in
the living state. The definition of the
term is best understood from its deri-
vation; coming from the two Greek
words, sbios", life, and "logos'', a
discourse or treatise on. From the
definition of Biology we see that what
ever pertains to living matter pertains
to- Biology; but it must be understood
that the term General Biologe does
not designate particular member Of
the group of biological sciences, but
treats in general way of matter IN
the living state. Its connection,
however, is very intimate with many
other sciences, and is really the first
in order of classification of all the
natural sciences, since it deals with
the principles of life itself.
i cannot relate very much of the
history of the science of Biology, tho
it was one of the latest sciences to
be arranged and classified. The two
fundamental principles of structure
and organism, namely: the cecil"
and "protoplasm' are discoveries Of
! this century. 1t is that Robert
Hooke describes cork as made up of
| little "cells or boxes distinct from one
another, more than two hundred
years ago, but it remained for the
present century to discover the truth
that the structure of both plants and
animals are essentially the same, as
they are entirely built up Of cells.
This identity of plant and animal
structure was discovered by Scheiden
and Schawn about the year 1870. 1t
is also a remarkable fact that few
years later the sarcode of the zoologist
and the protoplasm OF the botanist
were discovered to be identical in
chemical, physical, and other proper
ties in all plants and animals. This
great discovery was first comprehen-
sively stated by Max Shultz in the
year 1860, and he is now generally
regarded as the founder Of biolgy in
the modern sense.
This science, while it cannot ex-
plain the subtle power that produces
life, yet is able to throw much ligh,
upon the subjct. We can trace the
food which is llteless through its many
changes till it becomes part of the
the living organism and is finally
thrown off as dead matter again,
These and many other transformo
tons connected with a living organ
ism are intensely interesting and O
great importance. If once one be
comes interested enough in the study
of Biology to give it proper time fo
t study and experiment, the interest
| grows upon him to the degree of fas
, cination. 1t our work this year VI
have followed combination of tn,
a two usual plans, that is, of working
i upward from the simple to complex
= and of working downward from tn
higher and more familiar forms.
r Our professor has labored amids
J difficulties arising from the lack c
It times lack of room, and lack of app;
u ratus. Still, l feel sure that thos
who have studied have learned muc