MATERIO-DYNAMIC PARALLELISM 477 



work of organic succession in tissue, organ, and organism 

 generally, as well as individually and specially, throughout 

 the entire field of animated nature. Cancer, originating 

 thus, may be regarded as an attempt to meet a physiologi- 

 cal requirement on the part of the formative agencies, 

 physiological and pathological, inherent in every human 

 system, at a crisis in the organism where it is met with, 

 and wherein, instead of levelling down and eliminating, 

 dead and dying textural materials, these formative agencies 

 in their transition, or dual regime, level up and imprison 

 them in their transition condition, with the result that they 

 become the prey of any wandering pathological parasites, 

 or phagocytes, which may invade them, thus allowing such 

 organisms to thrive and propagate and distribute them- 

 selves throughout every inter-space and cranny into which 

 they can possibly find an entrance throughout the length 

 and breadth of the unfortunate individual who may 

 happen to be their host. It may, therefore, well be that 

 the modern quest for the microbe of cancer may prove a 

 rather disappointing one, on account, thus, of the possi- 

 bility of the existence of a multiplicity of bacillary organ- 

 isms which may each find congenial work and means 

 of development and perpetuation in the soil of functionless 

 and effete structural material, in its processes of physio- 

 logico-pathological change, and final transitional disposal. 

 Cancer, consequently, if microbic in nature, is not neces- 

 sarily so from its inception, inasmuch as the pre-existence 

 and persistence of a down-grade metamorphic matrix of 

 adynamic, or functionless, material is necessary for its 

 starting-point, along with an initial play of pathological 

 formative energy on the effete elements before their final 

 relegation to the powers of disease and death, and their 

 return to " dust and ashes " ; it behoves us, therefore, 

 if we would prevent this affection, to obviate such a con- 

 catenation of disease-permitting conditions, by adopting 

 such measures as will accomplish their occlusion, or 

 removal, and by securing the possession of an effective 

 power of physiological resistance to the incidence of all 

 such lethal pathological changes, through the use of means 

 of elimination of sub-involuted and semi-disintegrated 

 structural materials, and the " ordering into line," or 



