PROTOPLASM. 



is an active mass of protoplasm, Mr. ^Huxley remarks that 

 " under stmdry circumstances the corpuscle dies and becomes 

 distended into a round mass, in the midst of which is seen 

 a smaller spherical body, which existed, but was more or 

 less hidden in the living corpuscle, and is called its nucleus. 

 Corpuscles of essentially similar structure are to be found 

 in the skin, in the lining of the mouth, and scattered through 

 the whole framework of the body" Now, what can be 

 meant by a white blood-corpuscle dying and becoming dis- 

 tended into a round mass under sundry circumstances? 

 Mr. Huxley goes on to say that at an early period of deve- 

 lopment the organism is " nothing but an aggregation of 

 such corpuscles," that is, of corpuscles (elementary parts 

 or cells) like those " found in the skin, in the lining of 

 the mouth, and scattered through the whole framework of 

 the body." This assertion is incorrect, inasmuch as the 

 corpuscles in the embryo consist almost entirely of (living) 

 matter like the white blood-corpuscle, while those of which 

 the skin (cuticle) and most of the tissues of the adult are 

 composed consist principally of formed matter with a very 

 little of the other (living) matter, while the oldest particles of 

 cuticle are entirely composed of hard formed matter. Here, as 

 in other cases referred to by Huxley, no distinction is drawn 

 between that which is living, growing, and forming; and that 

 which has been formed and is destitute of all powers of life and 

 growth. No distinction between living matter and lifeless 

 matter ! Both are confused together under the term " pro- 

 toplasm," for which might be substituted "organic matter" 

 or " albuminous matter." Huxley terms the particles of 

 epithelium of the cuticle and of mucous membranes, masses 



