THE SEASON WHY. 209 



" Al ! the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils, My 

 lips shall not speak wickedness, n^r my tongue utter deceit." JOB xxvu. 



flowing into these millions of spaces, and filling the lungs, just aa 

 water fills and swells a sponge, causes them to expand, and occupy 

 greater room. 



890. How does the blood communicate with the air in the 

 lungs ? 



Through the sides of very minute vessels, of which, perhaps, a 

 fine hair gives us the best conception. But these vessels are 

 twisted and wound round each other in such a curious manner, 

 that they form millions of cells, and by being twisted and wound, 

 a much greater surface of air and blood are brought to act upon 

 each other, than could otherwise be accomplished. 



891. Why does the Hood which is thus formed, impart 

 vitality to the parts to which it is sent ? 



Because the blood is itself vitalised is, in fact, alive, and 

 capable of diffusing life and vitality to the organisation of which it 

 forms a part. 



This is a very wonderful fact, but no less true than wonderful, 

 that dead matter which, but a little while ago, was being ground by 

 the teeth, softened by the saliva, and solved by the gastric juice and 

 bile, has now acquired life. Nobody can tell the precise stage or 

 moment when it began to live. But somewhere between the stomach 

 and the lungs, melted by the gastric juice, softened by the secretion 

 of the pancreas, separated by the bile of the liver, macerated by the 

 muscular fibres of the bowels, taken up by the absorbents, warmed 

 by the heat of the body, and aerated in the lungs, it has by one, or 

 by all of these processes combined, been changed from the dead to 

 the living state, and now forms part of the vital fluid of the system. 



CHAPTER XLIII. 



892. Why do we "know that the blood has become endowed 

 with vital powers ? 



Becav.se, in the course of its formation, it has not only undergone 

 change of cond?.tioa and colour ; but, if examined now by the micro- 

 scope, it will bo found to consist of millions of minute cells, or discs, 



