ay give a clear idea of the trend of
recent biological science and of the advances made toward the solution
of the problem of life.

MIDDLETOWN, CONN., U.S.A.

_October 1, 1898_.

CONTENTS.

PAGE

INTRODUCTION--Biology a new science--Historical
biology--Conservation of energy--Evolution--Cytology--New
aspects of biology--The mechanical
nature of living organisms--Significance of the new
biological problems--Outline of the subject 1

PART I.

_THE RUNNING OF THE LIVING MACHINE._

CHAPTER I.

IS THE BODY A MACHINE?

What is a machine?--A general comparison of a body and
a machine--Details of the action of the machine--Physical
explanation of the chief vital functions--The
living body is a machine--The living machine
constructive as well as destructive--The vital factor 19

CHAPTER II.

THE CELL AND PROTOPLASM.

Vital properties--The discovery of cells--The cell doctrine--The
cell--The cellular structure of organisms--The
cell wall--Protoplasm--The reign of protoplasm--The
decline of the reign of protoplasm--The
structure of protoplasm--The nucleus--Centrosome--Function
of the nucleus--Cell division or karyokinesis--Fertilization
of the egg--The significance of
fertilization--What is protoplasm?--Reaction against
the cell doctrine--Fundamental vital activities as
located in cells--Summary 54

PART II.

_THE BUILDING OF THE LIVING MACHINE_.

CHAPTER III.

THE FACTORS CONCERNED IN THE BUILDING OF THE LIVING
MACHINE.

History of the living machine--Evidence for this
history--Historical--Embryological--Anatomical--Significance
of these sources of history--Forces at work in the building of
the living machine--Reproduction--Heredity--Variation--Inheritance
of variations--Method of machine building--Migration and
isolation--Direct influence of environment--Consciousness--Summary
of Nature's power of building machines--The origin of the cell
machine--General summary 131

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

FIGURE PAGE

_Amoeba Polypodia_ in six successive stages of division _Frontispiece_

1. Figure illustrating osmosis 30

2. Figure illustrating osmosis 31

3. Diagram of the intestinal walls