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.
THE STORY OF THE LIVING MACHINE.
INTRODUCTION.
Biology a New Science.—In recent years biology has been spoken of as a new science. Thirty years ago departments of biology were practically unknown in educational institutions. To-day none of our higher institutions of learning considers itself equipped without such a department. This seems to be somewhat strange. Biology is simply the study of living things; and living nature has been studied as long as mankind has studied anything. Even Aristotle, four hundred years before Christ, classified living things. From this foundation down through the centuries living phenomena have received constant attention. Recent centuries have paid more attention to living things than to any other objects in nature. Linnæus erected his systems of classification before modern chemistry came into existence; the systematic study of zoology antedated that of physics; and long before geology had been conceived in its modern form, the animal and vegetable kingdoms had been comprehended in a scientific system. How, then, can biology be called a new science When it is older than all the others?