WHAT IS LIFE? 53 



years, and it is claimed that some can live a much longer 

 time under conditions where they are noc attacked by 

 other cells or bacteria. This also goes to show that the 

 cell must have fuel, air, heat and water when he is active 

 producing living structures just as man must have when 

 he is building and running factories, railroads, etc. 



The microscope disclosed to us a new world. If they 

 had told us years ago that a drop of water contained 

 hundreds of living animals that eat, drink, fight, love 

 and reproduce, they would have had a hard time making 

 us believe it. The school boy or anyone else today is 

 compelled to admit that it is a fact, because through a 

 microscope he can see it with his own eye. 



Now since a world of teeming animal life really ex- 

 isted, which was not known to us because we did not 

 have eyes suitable or powerful enough with which 

 to see it, does it not seem plausible that there must 

 still exist a world of still more microscopic proportions, 

 which we shall probably see some day? When that time 

 comes the builder of the cell will no more be a spiritual 

 being, but probably a material living animal or being as 

 the cell is today. It is easy to see what the materials 

 are which the plant cells work up into building material 

 for their habitation or colonies, which we call plants and 

 animals. We also know that they use the heat and 

 energy of the sun as a power. The atmosphere contains 

 oxygen, nitrogen, carbonic acid and ammonia. The soil 

 contains silica, iron, lime, potash, phosphorous, sulphur 

 and ammoniacal salts. The soil and atmosphere contain 

 all the material which is found in animals and plants and 

 in the same manner we can point out the raw material 

 contained in a railroad or battleship, but the cells, the 

 builders, must separate, join and place the material in 

 exactly the right place and in correct proportions to 



