35 
LIFE: ITS ORIGIN AND NATURE 
standpoint, such an idea would appear quite 
superfluous, if not absurd. This question, like 
so many others, will only be settled by the 
determination of the ultimate nature of life. 
All life thus originates within a single, micro¬ 
scopic cell. Growth takes place by reason of 
continued cell-multiplication. This multiplica¬ 
tion results from division (!); that is to say, 
the division of the mother cell into two daugh¬ 
ter cells, which in turn sub-divide, and so on 
throughout the entire life of the organism. 
When studied by means of high-powered mi¬ 
croscopes, the cell is seen to contain within its 
plasm a nucleus, and within this a still smaller 
point, known as the “nucleolus.” A so-called 
“attraction sphere” is also seen, consisting of 
two tiny points, which divide, descend to 
opposite sides of the nucleus, and send out lines 
of force, seemingly very similar to those 
observed at the ends- of a magnet; and these 
lines of force arrange the thread-like chromo¬ 
somes into parallel lines, which then divide 
lengthwise, and are drawn towards the tiny cen¬ 
ters of force (centrosomes)—being there re¬ 
arranged, to form the bases for two new cells. 
This process is known as “Mitosis” (or kar- 
yokinesis), and has been studied in great detail 
in its various phases. The reader may con¬ 
sult the elaborate work by Prof. E. B. Wilson, 
“The Cell,” for details. 
By means of this cell-division, therefore, 
cells multiply in number; they are built-up 
into tissues, into organs, into a complete human 
body. In the simpler forms of life, these 
various processes may be followed with com- 
