256 LIFE AND DEATH. 



of living matter and its organization is summed up in 

 the laws of the chemical unity and the morphological 

 unity of living beings (v. Book III.), These laws seem 

 to be a legitimate generalization from all the facts 

 observed. The first states that the phenomena of 

 life are manifested only in and through living matter, 

 protoplasm — i.c^ in and through a substance which 

 has a certain chemical and physical composition. 

 Chemically it is a proteid complexus with a hexonic 

 nucleus. Physically it shows a frothy structure 

 analogous to that resulting from the mixture of two 

 granular, immiscible liquids, of different viscosities. 

 The second law states that the phenomena of life 

 can only be maintained in a protoplasm which has 

 the organization of the complete cell, with its cellular 

 body and nucleus. 



Relative Value of these Laws. Exceptions. — What 

 is the signification of these laws of the chemical 

 composition and organization of living beings? 

 Evidently that life in all its plenitude can only exist 

 and be perpetuated under their protection. If these 

 laws were absolute, if it were true that no life were 

 possible but in and through albuminous protoplasm, 

 but in and through the cell, the problem of "the life 

 of matter " would be decided in the negative. 



May it not happen, however, that fragmentary and 

 incomplete vital manifestations, progressive traces 

 of a true life, may occur under different conditions; 

 for example, in matter which is not protoplasm, and 

 in a body which has a structure differing from that 

 of a cell — that is to say, in a being which would be 

 neither animal nor plant ? We must seek the answer 

 to this question by an appeal to experiment. 



Without leaving the animal and vegetable king- 



