28 LIFE AND DEATH. 



but even as opposed to them. The one preserve the 

 body, the others tend to destroy it. They are always 

 in conflict. Life is the victory of the one; death is 

 the triumph of the other. Hence the celebrated 

 definition given by Bichat: "Life is the sum total of 

 functions which resist death," or the definition of the 

 Encyclopaedia: "Life is the contrary of death." 



Cuvier has illustrated this conception by a graphic 

 picture. He represents a young woman in all the 

 health and strength of youth suddenly stricken by 

 death. The sculptural forms collapse and show the 

 angularities of the bones; the eyes so lately sparkling 

 become dull; the flesh tint gives place to a livid 

 pallor; the graceful suppleness of the body is now 

 rigidity, "and it will not be long before more horrible 

 changes ensue ; the flesh becomes blue, green, black, 

 one part flows away in putrid poison, and another 

 part evaporates in infectious emanations. Finally, 

 nothing is left but saline or earthy mineral principles, 

 all the rest has vanished." Now, according to Cuvier, 

 what has happened ? 



These alterations are the effect of external agents, 

 air, humidity, and heat. They have acted on the 

 corpse just as they used to act on the living being; 

 but before death their assault had no effect, because it 

 was repelled by the vital properties. Now that life 

 has disappeared the assault is successful. We know 

 now that external agents are not the cause of these 

 disorders. They are caused by the microbes of 

 putrefaction. It is against tJieni that the organs were 

 struggling, and not against physical forces. 



The mistake made by Bichat and Cuvier was in- 

 excusable, even in their day. They were wrong not 

 to attach the importance they deserved to Lavoisier's 



