NUTRITION, INNERVATION, ETC. 571 



Throughout the whole of this nutritive economy, it will 

 be observed that the cell nutritive method is the founda- 

 tion of all the nutritive methods and that uni-cellular 

 nutrition but repeats itself in every alteration of method, 

 the principle of uni-cell innervation being also repeated, 

 while the addition of a multi-cell system, and proper 

 nervine methods of innervation, are also repeated and 

 maintained as the widening range of organic activities 

 increase, and the necessity for organic division of labour 

 forces itself on the formative and nutritive determinant 

 materio-dynamic, or central, mechanism of life. 



The independent, or uni-cell method of nutrition, 

 merges into multi-cell methods, which in turn develop 

 into inter-textural and inter-organic, or vascularly united 

 nutritive methods the last mentioned being followed by 

 the nervine, or neural, proper methods, each flowing 

 out of the other as the conditions of the life of the 

 organism alter in complexity, and as differentiation of 

 its component parts necessitate increase and elaboration of 

 its dynamic and circulatory, or nutritive, machinery. 

 It thus follows, that each system, or method, of nutrition 

 is self-determined and actuated, inasmuch as the most 

 elementary and simple of the various systems, or methods, 

 enumerated proceeds, and gives origin to, the more 

 complex, the prerogatives of each system being retained 

 and utilised by the others, until they all merge into one 

 systemic whole, in which the widest individual freedom is 

 allowed, consistent with the united welfare of the com- 

 pleted communal organism. 



The relationships, therefore, of the reputed cerebro-spinal 

 trophic centres must be assigned a position in the economy 

 of nutrition of a relatively much more restricted character 

 than that now in vogue ; inasmuch as the three first 

 methods of nutrition can be, and are, under many circum- 

 stances, both physiological and pathological, absolutely alone, 

 in determining and maintaining the operation of the process 

 of nutrition of cell, tissue, and organ the systemic neural 

 element in that process, for the time being, completely 

 disappearing, to be renewed in the former, or physiological, 

 but often never to be renewed in the latter, or patholo- 

 gical, condition. 



