100 ZOOLOGICAL PHILOSOPHY 



body can experience every kind of sensation, muscular movement, 

 will, ideas and thought ; this would be an altogether gratuitous, 

 baseless and improbable supposition. On such a supposition a hydra 

 must have in every part of its body all the organs of the most perfect 

 animals, and hence every point in the body of this polyp must see, 

 hear, distinguish odours, tastes, etc. ; and also must have ideas, 

 form judgments, think and, in short, reason ; each molecule of the body 

 of a hydra or any other polyp would in itself be a perfect animal ; and 

 the whole hydra would be a more perfect animal even than man. 

 since each of its molecules would be equivalent, as regards the com- 

 pletion of organisation and faculties, to an entire individual of the 

 human species. 



There is no reason why such an argument should not be extended to 

 the Monas — the most imperfect of known animals — and even to plants 

 themselves, which also possess life. We should then attribute to each 

 molecule of a plant all the aforementioned faculties, though restricted 

 within limits set by the nature of the living body of which it is part. 



Assuredly it is not to this that the study of nature leads us. This 

 study teaches us, on the contrary, that wherever an organ ceases to 

 exist, the function depending on it ceases likewise. Any animal which 

 has no eyes or whose eyes have been destroyed cannot see ; and 

 although in the last analysis the various senses derive their origin 

 from touch, of which they are only special modifications, yet no animal 

 which is without nerves, the special organ of feeling, could experience 

 any kind of sensation ; for it has not the intimate feeling of its existence, 

 it has not the central nucleus to which sensation has to be conveyed, 

 and consequently it could not feel. 



Thus the sense of touch, which is the basis of the other senses and is 

 spread throughout every part of the bodies of animals which have 

 nerves, no longer exists in those which, like the polyps, have no nerves. 

 Among the latter, the parts are nothing more than merely irritable ; 

 they are so in a very high degree, but they are devoid of feeling and 

 hence of every kind of sensation. In order that a sensation may 

 arise, an organ is first necessary to receive it (nerves) ; and then some 

 central nucleus must exist (a brain or ganglionic longitudinal cord) 

 to which this sensation may be conveyed. 



A sensation is always the sequel of an impression received and 

 immediately conveyed to an internal nucleus, where the sensation 

 is formed. Interrupt the communication between the organ which 

 receives the impression and the nucleus where the sensation is formed, 

 and all feeling will immediately cease. This principle can never be 

 disputed. 



No polyp can really be oviparous ; for it has no special organ for 



