ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS. 103 
sreat interest, and what follows ought to command earnest-at- 
tention. besides -— 
“ Examine under the microscope a drop of blood freshly taken 
from the human subject, or from any of the higher ea It 
is seen to be composed of a multitude of red corpuscles, swim- 
ining in a nearly colourless liquid, and along with these, but in 
much smaller numbers, somewhat larger colourless corpuscles. 
The red corpuscles are modified cells, w shile the colourless cor pus- 
eles are cells still retaining their typical form and properties. 
These last are little masses of protoplasm, each enveloping a cen- 
tral nucleus. Watch them. They will be seen to change their 
shape. They will project and withdraw pseudopodia, and creep 
about like an amoeba. But more than this, like an amceba, they 
will take in solid matter as nutriment. They may be fed with 
coloured food, which will then be seen to have accumulated in 
the interior of their soft transparent protoplasm; and, in some 
eases, the colourless blood corpuscles have actually been seen to 
devour their more diminutive companions the red ones.” 
All this is very wonderful, and to many whose opportunities 
of microscopic observation are rare must appear entirely new. 
They may have been prepared for the modified cell of the red 
corpusele, but the protoplasmic—the living condition of the white 
—feeding as it were, upon itself, has only been revealed by the 
highest powers of the microscope. We have it on Supreme 
authority as to the animal, that “the blood is the life thereof,” 
but whoever could have supposed that this Divine truth would 
be proved to the senses after this manner. I should imagine that 
the knowledge is of the highest importance. Our M. Ds are 
called upon now to adjust the equilibrium between the red and 
white corpuscles—to lessen or increase the cannibal instincts of 
the white, and so to cleanse the impurities that interfere with a 
healthy circulation, and whiéh are the fruitful generators of 
disease. 
The instances quoted illustrate the phenomena of the proto- 
plasmic cell, which is the basis of the physical life in animals. 
But there are other wonders. It is precisely the same in the 
vegetable kingdom. The President proceeds to give a number 
of Pasieplcs to show that the primary cell in plants is identical 
with that in animals, and undistinguishable from it. “The 
spores which swim about in the field of the microscope, driven 
by vibrating cilia, and avoiding collision with obstacles in their 
way, behave exactly like the ameeba.” | Dr. Fraser may tell you 
that this motion and careful avoidance of obstacles is due to 
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