58 WHAT IS LIFE 



Distribution there shall be a similar distribution of the chromo- 



of chrc 

 somes 



somes throughout all the cells of the body. The 



original cell from which the whole body is to be 

 formed was possessed of a certain number of 

 chromosomes, let us say eight. At the first 

 division there occurs a Calving of each of these, so 

 that in each of the pair of cells which is derived 

 from the original cell there will again be eight 

 chromosomes and each of these will have a sister- 

 chromosome in the other cell. 



Further, as subsequent divisions take place and 

 the number of cells becomes enormously increased, 

 the same process is continued, so that there are 

 always the same number of chromosomes in every 

 cell of a given species and these are derived 

 by direct descent from the chromosomes of the 

 original cell. These remarkable facts, which are 

 the outcome of the intense study of the cell which 

 has been such a prominent feature of the biological 

 work of the past quarter of a century, are of the 

 profoundest significance and have formed the foun- 

 dations of more than one imposing edifice of theory 

 as to their meaning. Into these points it is not 

 possible here to enter, but what one has to consider 

 is the nature of the process which has just been 

 described. 



vital or Is it chemico -physical in its character or is it a 



mechanical p ure i v v j ta j phenomenon ? A good deal of atten- 



