AL TERA TION IN VITAL PO WER. 8 3 



A Iteration in Vital Power. 



It is remarkable that the results of the act of living in 

 different masses of germinal matter having the same origin 

 should be very different. And in the development of new 

 centres one within the other, the masses last produced seem 

 to have acquired powers which their progenitors did not 

 possess. In the formation of the ovum itself the produc- 

 tion of centre within centre proceeds for a long time before 

 the actual mass from which the new being is to be evolved 

 is produced. On the other hand, thousands of masses 

 of germinal matter are formed during the early periods of 

 development, which apparently only serve the purpose of 

 giving origin within themselves to others from which those 

 which are to take part in the formation of tissues are at 

 length developed. Thus, many successive series of masses 

 of germinal matter are formed, and are succeeded by new 

 ones before those by which the tissue or organ is to be 

 formed are produced. And these result from the develop- 

 ment of new centres or nuclei within already existing 

 living matter. Each successive series of nuclei seems to 

 acquire new power, although there are no characters by 

 which it could be distinguished from any pre-existing or suc- 

 ceeding series. That there is a difference is, however, 

 proved by the difference in the results of living. Moreover, 

 at the same time that the new centre acquires new powers, 

 it retains by inheritance some of those possessed by the 

 germinal matter that preceded it, and hands these down to 

 the new centres it originates. It would, therefore, appear 

 more in accordance with the facts to conclude that the 



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