CHAPTER XXIX 



CONDUCTION PHENOMENA IN LIVING AND NOT-LIVING 



BODIES 



IN a living being of large dimensions like one of the higher 

 animals or plants, the preservation of cell life in one point 

 of the organism is attached to the renewal of the interior 

 medium. So it cannot be considered independent of the 

 localized cell-lives in distant points of the organism, for 

 the reason that it is the whole of the cell activities taken 

 together which results in the renewal of the interior medium 

 useful to all. The brain cannot remain indifferent when 

 the kidney is ailing nor the leaf when the root is cut. 



The name of correlation is given to this community of 

 interests which exists among the different parts of one 

 and the same organism. It is established by the interior 

 medium common to all the cells of the individual. If we 

 introduce a poison at one point of the interior medium, 

 diffusion and especially circulation will spread the poison 

 everywhere ; the local phenomenon of introducing the 

 poison will be transformed into a general poisoning. 



We can give a general formula of correlation from the 

 fact that each cell has to be in equilibrium with the interior 

 medium common to all. This equilibrium is at the same 

 time of chemical and colloid order, since and we must 

 not forget it the interior medium is composed solely of 

 colloids. Now, with regard to serum therapy and physical 



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