296 BIOLOGICAL PHYSICS 



The obviation of mal-development, and the securing of 

 a normally healthy neuroglial matrix, must be sought for 

 " all along the lines " of growth, nutrition, and active 

 functional life, of that anatomical structure, by the supply 

 of every condition required for the production of healthy 

 metabolism. Of course, these can only be fully, and 

 properly, operative, when a proper foundation has been 

 laid, in an absolutely sound, and healthy, parentage, but 

 given that, the results must follow, in every way, in 

 accordance with unexceptional developmental conditions. 

 The maintenance of this normally healthy condition 

 must be sought for, along the same lines, and is securable 

 to the end of life, on these, and these alone, any departure 

 from which, according to universal experience, is followed 

 by, correspondingly abnormal consequences. 



The materials for the production of absolutely healthy 

 nerve plasma, having been laid down by the haemal 

 vasculature, amid the fibre-cellular feltage, constituting 

 the proper connective framework of the neuroglial matrix, 

 it may be asked are these materials now alive ? The 

 question may be answered, in the Scotch fashion, by asking 

 others, to the following effect : when and by what 

 means does the food, organic, and inorganic, ingested, 

 become alive ? True answers to these questions, we 

 acknowledge, in the present state of knowledge on the 

 subjects, it is impossible to give ; nevertheless, we feel, 

 all the more, constrained to contribute to their solution, 

 what we can, as flowing out of the unusual problems with 

 which we have been confronted, in our self-imposed 

 exploratory efforts, in fields lying outside of present 

 positive, scientific knowledge, and attainment. 



We regard the question of, when matter is endowed with 

 life after it has entered the primary, or intestinal circula- 

 tion, of an organised creature, as being one to which a 

 very guarded reply must be made, inasmuch, as we are 

 aware it can only be founded on, a compound of fact, and 

 somewhat strained induction. The earliest stages in the 

 materio-dynamic experience of the nutritive material are 

 those of mechanical, and chemical, preparation, after which 

 comes physiological admixture, then absorption through 

 organic membrane, circulation into the blood stream, and 



