THE BEGINNINGS OF LIFE. 343 



been allowed to macerate in water for a day or two. 

 When a section is made through such a mass, the cells 

 in the very central portions are found to be swarming 

 with moving particles and distinct Bacteria^ although very 

 few, if any, are to be seen in the water in which the 

 portion oi liver is immersed. M. Estor has, moreover, 

 found that the cells of the liver in dogs, rabbits, mice, 

 and various kinds of birds, even immediately after 

 death, always contain a number of actively moving 

 particles or mere granules (microzymte), which both he 

 and M. Bechamp believe have the power of developing 

 into definitely formed Bacteria. 



There can be little doubt that the granulations natu- 

 rally existing in the cells of the liver and other organs, 

 resemble those which increase under conditions of 

 irritation^ and which, under a more prolonged inflam- 

 matory stimulus are apt to undergo a fatty metamor- 

 phosis leading to the disintegration of the. cell. But 

 whilst these are the changes most prone to occur during 

 life — especially in internal parts or organs — I fully 

 believe (with other observers) that after death, or when 

 death is close at hand, such particles may undergo an 

 internal change fitting them for independent life, just as 

 milk-globules are able to individualize themselves, and 

 grow into embryo VenkllUa. The union of two, three, 

 or more of such granules in linear series has been 

 watched by MM. Bechamp and Estor 1. At first the 

 granules form chaplet-like series, which gradually tend 

 1 'Compt. Rend; 1868. 



