a 
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i 
xt PHENOMENA OF ORGANIC NATURE = 318 
backbone ; and to this spinal cord are attached a 
number of fibres termed nerves, which proceed to 
all parts of the structure. By means of these the 
eyes, nose, tongue, and skin—all the organs of per- » 
ception—transmit impressions or sensations to the 
brain, which acts as a sort of great central tele- 
graph-office, receiving impressions and sending 
messages to all parts of the body, and putting in 
motion the muscles necessary to accomplish any 
“movement that may be desired. So that you have 
here an extremely complex and _ beautifully-pro- 
portioned machine, with all its parts working 
harmoniously together towards one common 
object—the eerie of the life of the 
animal. 
Now, note this: the horse makes up its waste 
by feeding, and its food is grass or oats, or perhaps 
other vegetable products; therefore, in the long 
run, the source of all this complex machinery lies in 
the vegetable kingdom. But where does the grass, 
or the oat, or any voblicn: plant, obtain this. nourish- 
| ing food- -producing material? At first it is a little 
seed, which soon begins to draw into itself from 
: the earth and the somedading air matters which 
in themselves contain no vital properties what- 
ever; it absorbs into its own substance water, 
an inorganic body ; ; it draws into its substance 
Eixbonic acid, an inorganic matter ; and ammonia, 
another inorganic matter, found ‘s the air; and 
then, by some wonderful chemical process, the 
ee a 
