8 LIVIKG MATTER OR BIOPLASM. 



goes further change. It, or part of it, ceases to mani- 

 fest its remarkable properties, and becomes resolved 

 again into non-living substances, which are sometimes 

 gaseous, sometimes fluid, sometimes solid. And very 

 often the same living matter is resolved into sub- 

 stances in these three physical states. The solid 

 matter that is formed may exhibit structure, or it may 

 be structureless. It may be passive, or it may possess 

 very active non- vital properties, as will be particu- 

 larly discussed further on. 



14. Living matter, or Bioplasm. — This wonderful 

 matter to which I shall have frequently to refer in 

 every part of this volume, moves and grows. Every- 

 thing else in natui-e may he moved and caused to 

 increase by aggregation — by particles being added to 

 those already collected ; but this alone of all matter 

 in the world moves towards lifeless matter, incor- 

 porates it with itself, and communicates to it in some 

 way we do not in the least understand, its own tran- 

 scendantly wonderful properties. The mxitter in ques- 

 tion is living matter. This matter, then, which is 

 found in all living things, and in these only, is 

 peculiar, and is to be distinguished from matter in 

 every other state, be it gaseous, fluid, solid, crystalline, 

 or colloid, structureless or having structure. This is 

 the matter which lives. It inay be coi"rectly called 

 living or forming matter, for by its agency every kind 

 of living thing is made, and without it, as far as is 

 known, no living thing ever has been made, or can 

 be made at this time, or ever will be made. As the 

 germ of every living thing consists of matter having 

 the wonderful properties already mentioned, I have 

 called it germinal matter ; but the most convenient and 

 least objectionable name for it is living plasma or 

 hioplasm ^(3to^ life, TrXatrfia plasm, that which is capable 

 of being fashioned). Bioplasm is found in every tissue 

 in every part of the living body as long as life lasts. 

 15. Protoplasm. — The matter which I have termed 



