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no theory as regards the nature or the origin of the matter. 

 It simj^ly distinguishes it as living. A living white blood- 

 corpuscle is a mass of bioplasm, or it might be termed a 

 bioplast. A very minute living particle is a bioplast, and we 

 may speak of living matter as bioplasraic substance. A cell 

 of epithelium consists of bioplasm or bioplasmic matter, sur- 

 rounded by formed ?ion-living matter, Avhich was however 

 once in the bioplas?7iic state. In the same way a germ of a 

 fungus, as the yeast particle, consists of the bioplasm with an 

 envelope of formed material, which last has resulted from 

 changes occurring when the particles upon the surface of 

 the biojjlasm died. The bioplasm of the microsco^iic fungus 

 or other organism may give off diverticula which may become 

 free independent bioplasts. Each minute bioplast may grow, 

 and in the same way give rise to multitudes of other 

 bioplasts. 



Progressive Change in Power or the Bioplasm. 



Those marvellous progressive changes which occur during 

 the development of the embryo, Avhile the structures which 

 characterise the organism are being evolved, are still but 

 very imperfectly understood. We know, indeed, that all the 

 complex tissues and organs of man and the higher animals 

 are dependent for their production upon changes occur- 

 ring in a minute mass of perfectly colourless living matter, 

 in which no indications of form or structure can be discerned, 

 but how these changes are brought about we have not yet 

 been able to ascertain ; nor is it conveying much information 

 to the student if the teacher informs him that the perfect 

 organism, with all its marvellous apparatus, existed ^'poten- 

 tially " in the little colourless living embryonic particle ; 

 since it is impossible for anyone to distinguish the particle 

 which is to develop a highly elaborate mechanism from that 

 which is to jn'oduce a simple amoeba as its highest develop- 

 mental product. Hence, to say the structures evolved 

 *' existed " in the original mass of living matter is not true, 

 and to qualify the assertion by the term "potentially" cannot 

 make it more correct. All we know is that such and such 

 structures will result, but we know this from previous expe- 

 rience, not from reasoning. 



For the characters and composition of the living matter 

 do not enable us to premise anything whatever concerning 

 its formative properties. In the formation of man and the 

 higher vertebrata the j^rimary mass of bioplasm or living 

 matter absorbs nutriment, and grows, and then divides and 



