OPINIONS ON GENERAL PHYSIOLOGY 165 
“Before the containable fluids absorbed by the 
small, jelly-like mass in question have been expelled 
by the new portions of the same fluids which reach 
there, they can then deposit certain of the contained 
fluids they carry along, and the movements of the 
contained fluids may apply these substances to the 
containing parts of the newly organized microscopic 
being. In this way originates the first of the vital 
functions which becomes established in the simplest 
organism, 2.¢., nutrition. The environing containable 
fluids are, then, for the living body of very great 
simplicity, a veritable chyle entirely prepared by 
nature. 
“Mutilation cannot operate without gradually in- 
creasing the consistence of the parts contained within 
the minute new organism and without extending its 
dimensions. Hence soon arose the second of the 
vital functions, grow¢h or internal development.” 
first Faculty of Animal Nature.—Then gradually 
as the continuity of this state of things within the 
same minute living mass in question increases the 
consistence of its parts enclosed within and extends 
its dimensions, a vital orgasm, at first very feeble, 
but becoming progressively more intense, is formed 
in these enclosed parts and renders them suscep- 
tible of reaction against the slight impression of the 
fluids in motion which they contain, and at the same 
time renders them capable of contraction and of dis- 
tention. Hence the origin of animal irritability and 
the basis of feeling, which is developed wherever a 
nervous fluid, susceptible of locating the effects in 
one of several special centres, can be formed. 
“Scarcely will the living corpuscle, newly animal- 
ized, have received any increase in consistence and in 
