WATER ESSENTIAL TO ALL LIFE. 231 



studied, and their movements are worth carefully watching 

 for hours. 



As I have said, everything that is taken up by living 

 matter must be dissolved in water. Of that there is no 

 doubt. But what is the state of the solid matter in these 

 lowly but most minute, most elaborate and wonderful of living 

 forms? Is it chemically "combined" with the water, or is 

 the solid matter in such a minute quantity that the water as 

 Avell as the organic matter must be regarded as actually 

 alive? On this last supposition what becomes of the 

 "atom," and where is the atomic theory? Is the matter as 

 well as the water infinitely divisible, and, at least during 

 life, the material atom non-existent ? A living atom certainly 

 exists not. An elementary material atom cannot even be 

 thought of as alive in the present state of knowledge. A 

 living atom is impossible in nature. The physicists, perhaps, 

 would like to meet and discuss a broad, general question 

 like this ; but few physicists seem to care to enter into the 

 consideration of any question of details connected with a 

 purely vital possibility, and many seem opposed to discussion, 

 and that every physical suggestion is a fact. 



Let me, in conclusion, venture to offer one or two remarks 

 Avith reference to water in relation to us and our ordinary and 

 extraordinary food. There has long been what may be called 

 a dead set in this country against "too much" Avatei- 

 drinking generally, and in particular too much water- drinking 

 at the time of eating. Considering that every particle of 

 food, which is to be of service to us, must, as I have already 

 said, somehow be dissolved, water antipathy, and the idea of 

 the desirability of combining or diluting water with some- 

 thing alcoholic, is foolish. We may of course take more 

 water a day than is good, but probably most of us err in the 

 opposite direction. If preferred, the water may be taken in the 

 form of lemonade or weak tea ; and as regards digestion, 

 slightly warm fluids are preferable to iced or very cold drinks. 



I am sure that many poor children are made miserable, 

 because parents and guardians think they do themselves 

 harm by imbibing the proportion of water they desire. 

 Children as Avell as young animals require a good deal of 

 water, or food mixed with milk or water, before it is taken. 

 Plenty of fluid ought to be always passing to and from all 

 gi-owing tissues, if the young organism is to be kept in 

 health. It seems to me almost cruel to allow children to 

 fiuff'er from thirst. 



