THE NATURE OF LIFE. 353- 



The aotion of electricity on the nerves is a different thing 

 altogether. I must leave that to physiologists. 



A Visitor. — May I he perraittecl, as a visitor, to make a 

 remark ? I think we are getting rather off the track of the 

 discnssion. 



I understood Dr. Beale to say that all visible bodies we see are 

 really forms of matter. Bioplasm is shut np in a particular cell,, 

 and we do not see bioplasm. The question that has arisen this 

 evening has been chiefly on the action of formed matter. I suppose, 

 with Professor Beale, we shall never find out exactly what bioplasm 

 is ; but there is one point that I should like to have his 

 experience on, viz. whether, in his microscopic investigations 

 there is any possibility of differentiating the difl'erent sorts 

 ot" bioplasm, and what are the different forms that bioplasm 

 takes to itself when forming cartilage and gristle. It seems 

 there must be in bioplasm certain differentiating points which 

 seem to me to be almost beyond the possibility of our in- 

 vestigation, unless Dr. Beale can tell us that he has been able to 

 differentiate, either by action or investigation, the position in which 

 different bioplasms stand. 



Professor Lionel Beale. — All the different forms of bioplasm in 

 the body which form the different organs and tissues come from a 

 single embyronic one capable of increase of size, and with infinite 

 power of division. The bioplasm of each organism has individual 

 characteristics as regards power of forming, although no physical, 

 material or chemical properties can be shown to account for it. The 

 " differentiating " depends, I believe, on Vital Poioer. and not on 

 material properties, but I object to learned words like " differentia- 

 tion," in which the simple statement of a fact is made to masquerade 

 as something to account for it — as an explanation. No one has 

 defined exactly what he means by the verb to " differentiate," or 

 whether we ought to look for a " differentiator." 



The Visitor. — It is a wonderful thing that the gnose, the sheep, 

 and the hare all feed on grass, and one produces hair, another 

 wool, and another feathers. 



Dr. Shettle. — And there is also a directive influence of the 

 germ in each creature, and that gei-m exists as an entity. 



Professor Lionel Beale, in reply, said — My position is a moi'e 

 humble, but a much more decided one, than is generally supposed. 

 I only aim at discussing the subject by degrees, beginning from 

 the so-called simplest lowest forms of life. For instance, I have 

 said nothing about the amoeba. The living matter of a young 



2 A. 



