172 THE NATURE AND ORIGIN OF LIFE 



to direct constantly two equally noteworthy phenomena, 

 to which it serves as a bond chemical assimilation in 

 the domain of molecular dimensions, and morphogenesis of 

 the living body as a whole in the domain of dimensions of 

 living beings. Here, again, we find the three mechanisms 

 which we have spoken of as anatomical, colloid and chem- 

 ical ; but the colloid mechanism takes the leading place 

 and dominates the two others. 



This theorem, which experiment proves, of the existence 

 of a bond between the specific form and the chemical con- 

 stitution of living beings unites mor- 

 phology the science of forms with 

 physiology, which is the science of 

 activities. For this reason we call 

 it the morpho-biological theorem. 



Experiments in merotomy can 

 also be made on multicellular beings 

 as complicated as man and verte- 

 brates. Any body can be cut in 

 FIG. 11. -DIAGRAM OF pieces and we can see if any of the 

 MEROTOMY. pieces remain living and what hap- 



pens to them. Of course, in such 



cases there is no longer question of nucleus and cytoplasm, 

 but of some mechanism able to continue living, that is, to 

 make sure of the renewal of the interior medium by proper 

 exchanges with the environment. There will be as many 

 different cases as there are experiments the section of a 

 small artery may involve the death of a man who has sur- 

 vived amputation of the leg. We shall have no general 

 formula allowing us to foresee that the body will continue to 

 live. But we can seek for a law of the phenomena that take 

 place when the body does continue living. Now, at first 

 sight, living beings seem to fall, without any apparent order 



