CHANGES OF BIOPLASM INTO TISSUE. 13 



iuterpretation of facts. When these fail, they resort to 

 dogma. The idea of spontaneous generation is being 

 continually revived. New facts are advanced in its 

 favour, but examination proves that the supposed 

 new facts are not facts at all. Whether one primi- 

 tive mass of bioplasm was caused to be, in the first 

 creation, or five, or fifty, or whether thousands or mil- 

 lions rushed simultaneouslv or successivelv into beinsr. 

 is open to discussion, but the arguments in favour of 

 the view that a minute mass of structureless bioplasm 

 was the first form of living thing, are so overwhelm- 

 ing that they must carry conviction. The formation 

 of tissues, organs, limbs, must have been a subsequent 

 and very gradual operation, proceeding slowly by 

 gradational changes according to certain laws. All 

 evidence teaches us that from the first beginnino- of 

 life, bioplasm has proceeded from bioplasm, and the 

 formation of bioplasm direct from non-livino- matter 

 is impossible even in thought, except to one who sets 

 absolutely at nought the facts of physics and chemistry, 

 and is perfectly blind as regards the ordinary phe- 

 nomena of the living world continually succeeding 

 one another before his eyes. 



24. The changes of bioplasm and its conversion 

 into tissue. — Amass of bioplasm exposed to certain 

 special conditions which differ as regards heat, mois- 

 ture, pabulum, and which vary with every kind of 

 bioplasm, grows, divides, and subdivides into multi- 

 tudes of masses. Each of these grows and sub- 

 divides in the same manner until vast numbers 

 result. By these apparently similar masses of bio- 

 plasm, different tissues, organs, and members are 

 formed. Some give rise to tubes which carry the 

 nutrient fluid to all parts of the body. Some are 

 concerned in taking oxygen from the atmosphere 

 and giving up carbonic acid to it. Others separate 

 materials resulting from decay, and convert these into 

 substances which can be easily removed altogether 



