74 PROTOPLASM. 



exhibiting no analogy whatever to any known forces. It 

 cannot be a property of matter, because it is in all respects 

 essentially different in its actions from all acknowledged 

 properties of matter. The vital property belongs to a 

 different category altogether. 



That the properties of elements which disappear, or 

 are changed when compounds are formed, are really re- 

 tained, can be proved, because when each element is again 

 isolated it manifests its elemental properties ; but the vital 

 properties are lost whenever living matter dies, and are 

 never regained by the same particles. The vital actions 

 of the highest and lowest known forms of living mat- 

 ter appear to be of the same essential nature, although 

 the results of vital actions upon the form, properties, and 

 composition of the material produced are very different 

 in different organisms. But between the vital actions of the 

 simplest and most degraded forms of living matter, and any 

 actions that are known to occur under the most complex 

 circumstances, in non-living matter, there appears to be no 

 analogy whatever. Instead of attributing the phenomena 

 peculiar to living beings to any force or power of a peculiar 

 or special kind, it is considered more in accordance with 

 the " tendencies " of scientific investigation in these days, 

 and much more philosophical to assert that the phenomena 

 which I have called vital are the consequences of antece- 

 dent physical phenomena. 



When one portion of a mass of living matter is seen to 

 move in advance of other portions it may be said that the 

 movement is due to some phenomenal alteration which 

 occurred just before. But what evidence have we that this 



