20 PROTOPLASM. 



little of the other (living) matter, and the oldest particles of 

 cuticle are entirely composed of hard formed matter. Here, as 

 in other cases referred to by Huxley, no distinction is drawn 

 between that which is living, growing, and forming; and that 

 which has been formed and is destitute of all powers of life and 

 growth. No distinction between living matter and lifeless 

 matter ! Both are confused together under the term "pro- 

 toplasm," for which might be substituted "organic matter" 

 or " albuminous matter." Huxley terms the particles of 

 epithelium of the cuticle and of mucous membranes, masses 

 of protoplasm. He says beasts and fowls, reptiles and 

 fishes, are all composed of structural units of the same 

 character. Now, this mass of protoplasm, this unit, con- 

 sists partly of lifeless and partly of living matter. The outer 

 part, which may be dry and hard, and is lifeless, may be 

 undergoing disintegration, and is perhaps being taken up 

 by other living organisms, but is nevertheless, according to 

 this view, just as much protoplasm as the living, growing, 

 moving matter itself. It does not signify how many dif- 

 ferent things may be comprised in the cell or elementary 

 part, in what essentially different states these things may 

 be, how different parts may differ in properties they 

 constitute protoplasm. A muscle is protoplasm ; nerve is 

 protoplasm ; bone, hair, and shell are protoplasm ; a lirnb is 

 protoplasm; the whole body is protoplasm, and of course 

 bone, hair, shell, etc., are as much "the physical basis of 

 life" as albuminous matter and roast mutton. But surely 

 it would be less incorrect to speak of such "protoplasms" 

 as the physical basis of death or the physical basis of roast, 

 than to call dead and roasted matter the physical basis of 



