THE DARTOS. 139 



system in the tissue might even appear altogether unne- 

 cessary. But this tissue also, however favourably its 

 capillary channels may be disposed, stands in need of an 

 arrangement of such a nature as to render a special dis- 

 tribution of the nutritive juices to the separate cellular dis- 

 tricts possible. It is only when we conceive the absorp- 

 tion of nutritive matter to be a consequence of the 

 activity (attraction) of the elements of the tissue them- 

 selves, that we are able to comprehend how it is that 

 the individual districts are not exposed every moment to 

 an inundation on the part of the blood, but the proffered 

 material is, on the contrary, taken up into the parts only 

 in accordance with the requirements of the moment, and 

 is conveyed to the individual districts in such a quantity, 

 that in general at least, as long as any possibility of its 

 maintenance exists, one part cannot be essentially de- 

 frauded by the others. 



