130 THE EVOLUTION OF CONTINUITY 



Breach of Continuity. 



Arrest, the product of Continuity, presents itself in 

 another aspect besides that just considered. That is, in 

 addition to a part of the developing Individual being arrested 

 and modified as differentiated tissues the amount of multi- 

 plication or enlargement of these tissues is stopped or con- 

 trolled by the body's governing centre. There is, as it were, 

 a standard size for the body and its parts, and this being 

 reached, all growth ceases, except that necessary for the 

 repair of tissue loss. 



From maturity until death tissue loss and repair are 

 constantly going on, and we would regard . tissue loss or 

 destruction in any form as being equivalent to a breach 

 of Continuity, and repair as being the inevitable result of 

 the breach. This is most evident when a tissue is severed 

 or partly removed by physical violence. 



In our own bodies, if the damage be not fatal, repair 

 sooner or later occurs, but except in a few instances there 

 cannot be said to be restoration. Epithelium and bone 

 are examples of such instances, but the repair of the body 

 tissues generally is brought about by the multiplication of 

 connective tissue cells which bind exposed surfaces together 

 with scar-tissue. Thus, an amputated finger is not restored, 

 but the wound heals in the manner mentioned, assisted 

 finally by the growth of epithelium. Special organs or 

 structures are never restored, with the outstanding excep- 

 tions of the hair and nails. 



During foetal life the case is very different. Before 

 tissue differentiation has proceeded far it should be possible 

 for a part removed to be restored, so that the structural 

 plan potential in the original part is realised later on. Natur- 

 ally, this is within certain limits, but the earlier the stage 

 of development when the accident occurred the more complete 

 ought to be the ultimate restoration ; after birth, with the 

 exceptions previously mentioned, restoration is not to be 

 expected at all. • 



The removal of the developing arm of a young foetus 

 in utero may be followed by a considerable degree of res- 

 toration, but the result will not be perfect, and the new 

 limb will probably be shortened or deformed. In such a 



