182 WHAT IS LIFE? 



which, has existed from time to time. All of the soft 

 parts of the organism become obliterated. 1 It is only the 

 hard, bony, or shell-like structures of animals of which 

 remains exist, although casts of soft-bodied animals 

 and plants are left. Of the remains therefore, of which 

 we have a record, the number is a mere sample of the 

 whole. In these fossils there is the clearest evidence 

 to be seen that there existed soft parts, as the 

 place is always clearly indicated, where the soft parts 

 attached themselves to the hard parts, as tendons 

 to the bone or muscle to the shell. Sometimes the 

 original object is replaced by other matter, but so as 

 to preserve the entire form and often the minute 

 detail of the original organism. Sometimes it is 

 entirely destroyed, and only a cast, often of hard 

 clay, is left, but this cast is very perfect. We must 

 keep in view that each stratum or layer has its 

 special types of animals or plants, but there are no 



1 If decomposition and regeneration were not facts, the world 

 would soon be choked up with organic matter. " How does the 

 world escape being choked up by the accumulation of dead organic 

 matter throughout innumerable ages ? " (" A Modern Zoroastrian," 

 S. Laing, ]>95, p. 87.) "But then the question was asked, 'How 

 are your microscopic organisms disposed of ? What are the ferments 

 of your ferments ? ' For even microscopic bacteria and vibrios would 

 in time choke up the world by their residue if not got rid of. 

 Pasteur answered that the ferments are destroyed by a new series- 

 of organisms aerobes living in the air, and these by other aerobes 

 in succession until the ultimate products are oxidised. ' Thus, in 

 the destruction of what has lived, all is reduced to the simultaneous 

 action of the three great natural phenomena fermentation, putre- 

 faction, and slow combustion. A living being, animal or vegetable. 

 or the debris of either, having just died, is exposed to the air. The 

 life that has abandoned it is succeeded by life under other forms. 5> 

 ("A Modern Zoroastrian." S. Lain^, 1895, p. 87.) 



