PROTOPLASM. 



_ substance -in which -life is manifested, or 

 more properly the substance that manifests 

 life ; or that for the same reason Dr. Lionel 

 S. Beale named it " bioplasm," the living 

 substance. Nor will they object to the 

 statements that protoplasm is the only 

 living substance ; that there is no life on 

 the earth apart from protoplasm ; * that 

 all the organs and tissues of living bodies, 

 whether animal or vegetable, are in great 

 part composed of protoplasm, in the form 

 of so-called " cells " ; that many of these 

 cells are without cell-wall, being then merely 

 infinitesimal aggregations or clusters of 

 molecules of protoplasm, by Beale called 

 " bio-plasts " ; or that every living molecule 

 in living bodies is protoplasm ; or that 

 wherever there are molecules of protoplasm 

 there is life, probably in proportion to the 

 number of molecules : and they will admit 

 that only part of any living organism is 

 really protoplasm, is really alive ; that part 



1 " Life," writes the Rev. Dr. Dallinger, " it is well known 

 has its phenomena inherent in, and strictly confined to, 

 a highly complex compound of fixed chemical constituents. 

 This compound, in its living state, is known as protoplasm. 

 It is clear, colourless, and, to our finest optical resources, 

 devoid of discoverable structure. There is no living thing 

 on earth but possesses its life in protoplasm, from the micro- 

 scopic fungus to man. DALLINGER, p. 29. 



