NOTE ON STRUCTURE AND STRUCTURELESS. 

 BY LIONEL S. BEALE, M.B., F.R.S. 



ALTHOUGH jelly, as, for example, the jelly-like matter of which 

 many of the Acalephae are composed, or the so-called vitreous 

 humour of the eye, appears perfectly transparent when 

 examined by the unaided eye, as transparent as glass, both 

 these tissues have a distinct structure, which may be revealed 

 by microscopical examination, especially if the delicate tissue 

 be tinted with certain colouring matters. But there is 

 another kind of matter said to be " jelly-like," which is found 

 throughout the living world, in which no structure whatever 

 can be discerned, though it be submitted to examination by 

 the very highest magnifying powers. And in many cases 

 where, in relation with this matter, fibres or fibre-like 

 structures, or granules, or globules have been discovered, these 

 are in contact with, and in most cases formed from, the 

 transparent and really structureless substance. And where, 

 as in many instances, these bodies exhibit movements, the 

 latter are communicated from the semi-fluid structureless 

 material. In fact, it is this which moves and causes the 

 movement in the fibres or granules. Now, it has been 

 somewhat positively laid down that structure will ere long be 

 discovered in this truly structureless living matter. " By 

 higher magnifying powers than any we possess or can have 

 any idea of, structure will be revealed." Those who agree in 

 this contention, and they are many, do not attempt to show 

 how the " structure " of their imagination will help them to 

 explain the facts of life. They seem to be very certain that 

 the mysterious phenomena of life are to be somehow explained 

 by structure, although we have been for years discovering 

 structure after structure, and we are just as far from anything 

 like a reasonable explanation of life as ever nay, we are 

 farther than we were some years ago, because views have been 

 forced upon us of late which are not supported by facts. We 

 are told we must accept these views because the facts which 

 are to prove them will certainly be discovered at some future 

 time, and we are in the mean while to believe in the prophetic 

 demonstrations vouchsafed to us by scientific prophets. 



But, if we allow ourselves to be guided by actual facts and 



