PATHOLOGICAL FORMATION OF FERMENTS. 107 



soluble ferment dissolved by it ? The answer is this : Any 

 tissue forming a soluble ferment is protected from the action 

 of such ferment substance by the life force. This answer is 

 very clear, and is undoubtedly a general fact. But what is life 

 force ? Here we are more or less bewildered, for the want of 

 more exact knowledge. It is well known that the mucous 

 membrane of the stomach of a dead dog is readily digested 

 by the gastric juice of a living dog. Not only this; but the 

 gastric juice in the stomach will, after death, digest the mucous 

 membrane which formed it. In this direction there is a very 

 perfect chain of fact, fully establishing the protective power 

 of the life force. 



These ferments are, however, constantly brought in contact 

 with tissues which do not form them, such as the ducts of the 

 glands and other surfaces over which they may be spread. 

 This fact might lead to an extension of our answer. Might 

 lead us to say that all living tissues are protected from the 

 solvent action of the soluble ferments. 



This statement, however, goes too far. Certainly it cannot 

 be maintained that the roots of the temporary teeth must die 

 before resorption takes place. 



Again ; the tissues forming the gums and mucous membrane 

 in advance of the erupting tooth are removed by this same 

 process. It cannot be claimed that they are dead tissues. 

 Very many other instances of the same nature might be cited. 

 Then it is not true that all living tissues are protected from 

 this digestion by the vital principle. Hence, we are driven 

 back upon our first statement, i. e., that any tissue forming a 

 soluble ferment is protected from the action of such ferment 

 substance by the life force. Other tissues are not so protected. 

 We may infer that the tissue forming the lining membranes 

 of the ducts of glands, and any normal receptacle of such 

 a fluid, would be protected from its action, just as the tissue 

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