ZOOLOGY. 



LIFE AND ITS PHYSICAL ASPECTS. 



The following is an abstract of a paper read before the American Asso- 

 ciation, by Chas. Glrard, Esq. : 



Animated beings manifest a twofold nature one material, the other 

 spiritual. The material or physical nature assumes a form, a shape, pecu- 

 liar to each species, constituting bodies tangible and visible to the senses. 

 Call the latter an immaterial principle, or spirit, it matters not what, but 

 let it be acknowledged as a condition sine qua non of the manifestation of 

 the physical. To it are to be referred the moral acts and the moral tenden- 

 cies which belong to the domain of moral philosophy. 



The different phases through which the physical individual passe?, from 

 its formation up to its last stage of existence, constitute the physical as- 

 pects of life ; or, in other words, the law under which a physical being 

 starts is the law under which it lives during existence. 



The author then proceeds to consider the ultimate process of organic 

 life ; that is, the elaboration of matter, its assimilation and transformation 

 into the various parts and organs it assumes, dividing his subject into the 

 following heads : 



1st. The organs and tissues ai'e all composed of cells diversely modified. 



2d. The first aspect under which an animal manifests itself is a cell. 



3d. Its subsequent growth is but a simple multiplication of cells. 



4th. The nourishing of the body is the mere replacing of decayed cells 

 by new ones. 



Now, if the cell be considered the elementary part of the organic tissues, 

 we can say there are no organic elements ; for, however simple a cell may 

 be, its existence implies the presence of two substances or elements an 

 internal or enclosed substance, and an external or enclosing substance. A 

 cell, therefore, docs not arise from one element. Oil or liquid fat and al- 

 bumen, examined microscopically in their primitive state, exhibit no struc- 

 ture of any kind, but when brought in contact, almost instantaneously, 

 cells are formed. They may then be produced artificially. From experi- 

 ments made, it has been ascertained that the oil is the enclosed portion of 

 these primordial cells, while the albumen constitutes the enveloping mem- 



