78 DEATH AND RESURRECTION. 



ular conditions in the organic sub- 

 stance are transferred to the inorganic. 

 But not only does organic matter 

 consist of the same elements that are 

 to be found in inorganic nature, but 

 the organism as a whole is nothing but 

 a bodily mechanism not differing from 

 other machines except in its more com- 

 plicated construction. Water, says 

 Btichner, which must be considered as 

 the foremost and most important part 

 in all organic beings, and without 

 which all animal and plant life were 

 impossible, water penetrates, flows and 

 sinks according to the laws of gravity, 

 not differing by the breadth of a hair 

 in its action within and without the or- 

 ganism. The circulation of the blood 

 is as mechanical as we could wish, and 

 the anatomic contrivance that causes 

 it bears a surprising likeness to me- 

 chanical apparatus made by man's 

 hand. The heart is provided with 

 valves just as a steam engine; the valve 

 movements produce audible sounds. 

 The rise of the blood from the lower 



