PHASES IN THE LIFE OF THE INDIVIDUAL 687 



at periods varying from half-an-hour to thirty hours after somatic 

 death, and it continues for an average of about thirty hours. 

 Certain cells may even live for some time after ri^or mortis has 

 passed. This is notably the case with the ciliated epithelial 

 cells of the inner surface of the respiratory passages, and with 

 the white corpuscles of the blood. Sooner or later, however, 

 every part of the organism perishes, putrefactive changes set 

 in, and the entire substance of the body passes once more to 

 that " dust " out of which its vital activities enabled it to build 

 itself up in the progress of individual life. 



