CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER III. 



OF NUTRITION (continued). THE VITAL FORCE. 



PAGE 



Other Questions in respect to Nutrition Is always dependent 

 on Chemical Change The Effect of the Forces of Heat, 

 Light, &c. Implies Resistance or Limitation to Chemical 

 Action Which Living Bodies present Origin of Life 

 undecided Berthelot's Experiments Views of Professor 

 Graham Religious Aspect of the Question What the 

 Term Vital Force denotes Its peculiar Characters De- 

 oxidation Relations between the Living Body and the 

 Air Vital Affinity a needless Supposition Part played 

 by Nitrogen The Silkworm illustrating the Law The 

 Plant a Channel for Nature's Forces . . . . .59 



CHAPTER IV. 

 OF LIVING FORMS ; OB, MORPHOLOGY. 



The Admiration excited by the Forms af Organic Bodies In 

 what Sense best justified Life a Revelation of all Nature- 

 Bacon's Argument Reasons for which the Laws of Living 

 Form have not been studied Nature's Division of Labour 

 Induction of Instances Growth under Limit Buds 

 forming in Axils Effects of Mechanical Conditions Their 

 Universality Examples The Spiral Form Its Signifi- 

 cance Formation of the Heart Why these Facts have 

 been overlooked The Conditions under which the Laws 

 operate Varying Directions of Growth The Root The 

 Stem Mushrooms raising Weights Forms resulting from 

 Decay 74 



CHAPTER V. 

 OF LIVING FORMS (continued). THE LAW OP FORM. 



No Special Formative Power to be supposed in Living Bodies 

 Disproved by Deformities, &c. The Doctrine of Types 

 The Mechanical Determination of Form an Axiom 

 Comes within the Law that Motion takes the direction of 

 least Resistance Sufficiency of this Axiom Mr. Herbert 

 Spencer's Remarks The Effects of Internal and of 

 External Influences Mr. Rainey's Experiments Dr. 

 Me Vicar's Views Repair and Healing of Wounds . . 108 



