170 BIOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF HUMAN PROBLEMS 



different types of minds varies rather widely in 

 definiteness, in fearfulness, and in general veri- 

 similitude. It is unlikely that the conception is 

 ever more than a rough approximation to the truth, 

 even in the mind endowed with insight and education. 

 For the mystery of death is profound, being, as it is, 

 the pendant to the mystery of life. An alteration 

 which leaves the body unaltered in form, and with- 

 out obvious structural change while depriving it 

 and its constituent parts of their functions, must 

 always excite in the highest degree the interest of 

 the thoughtful intelligence, and cause it to seek a 

 deeper understanding of its essential meaning. In- 

 scrutable as biological science must still admit the 

 death mystery to be, it can, nevertheless, throw out 

 some hints that may operate as a corrective for cer- 

 tain gross errors that are widely prevalent. 



When the circulation of the blood ceases within the 

 body of a human being, he is pronounced to be dead, 

 and the fact that he never comes to life again under 

 these circumstances leaves no room for us to doubt 

 that death has indeed come. Yet the situation is 

 not so simple as might at first sight appear to be the 

 case. The body is made of various tissues, and the 

 cessation of the circulation does not have the same 

 effect on all. The nervous system is peculiarly 

 sensitive to the withdrawal of its blood supply, 

 which is quickly followed by the appearance of an 

 acid reaction and permanent alterations in the proto- 

 plasm which are incompatible with the restoration 



