Dr. Beale, on Nutrition. 
83 
comparatively thick layer of formed material, and reach the 
germinal matter in the course of a few seconds, forced upon 
me the conviction that pabulum invariably passes to the ger- 
minal matter, and it, or at least some of its constituents, 
undergo conversion into this living substance, and acquire 
its properties and powers, — portions of the germinal matter 
from time to time losing their properties, and undergoing 
conversion into formed material. So that pabulum invariably 
becomes germinal matter, and the germinal matter, not the 
pabulum, is converted into formed material. I have been 
accustomed to state these facts in the following simple man- 
ner : — Calling the germinal matter which was derived from 
pre-existing germinal matter a, the pabulum b, and the 
formed material resulting from changes in the germinal mat- 
ter c, I say b becomes a , and a becomes converted into c, 
but b can never be converted into c except by the agency, 
and, in fact, by passing through the condition, of a. 
So far, then, it would seem that in the process of nutrition 
pabulum passes into living germinal matter, and is converted 
into this substance. The formed material or tissue which, in 
many cases, constitutes the chief increase in weight and bulk, 
has all passed through the state of germinal matter. The for- 
mation of this germinal matter from the pabulum is therefore 
the important part of the process. 
It is most interesting to inquire by what means the soluble 
pabulum is caused to pass into the germinal matter. It is, 
I think, impossible, in the present state of our knowledge, to 
explain the facts by physics or chemistry. And no form of 
attraction or affinity that we are acquainted with accounts for 
the passage of pabulum towards and into the germinal matter. 
The question is one upon which I have ventured to specu- 
late. The tendency which every mass of germinal matter 
exhibits to divide into smaller portions, each part appearing 
to move away from other portions, suggests the idea of there 
being some centrifugal force in operation. This moving away 
of particles from a centre will necessarily create a tendency 
of particles around to move towards the centre ; I think, 
therefore, that the nutrient pabulum is, as it were, drawn in 
by centripetal currents, excited by the centrifugal movements 
of the particles of the living germinal matter. How it is that 
vitality gives to matter the power of moving away from 
centres I cannot even attempt to speculate upon. That 
this is so, general facts, open to the observation of all, as well 
as the wonderful phenomena seen with the aid of the highest 
powers of our microscopes, abundantly testify. 
The point in which every nutritive operation differs essen- 
