1810. The nervous mass behaves itself also in its production like the solar mass. As from this the planets have through antagonism on the periphery, emancipated themselves, so from the nervous mass have the anatomical systems, which are subservient unto lower purposes.
1811. The development of the animal organs is a constant division of the nervous mass, whereby it becomes more and more divested of their coarse coverings, and traverses the same like radiating æther, illuminant, heating, and moving æther. It is a positing of the centre in the periphery.
1812. When also the other systems have been formed out of the identical nervous mass, still the whole animal body is naught but nervous mass, only, in a crude or inert condition. There is, consequently, no point upon the body, on which the nervous phenomena are absolutely wanting, or where they may not appear under certain relations.
1813. What remains behind of the nervous mass, has now the form of filaments or rays, which are projected from one centre, the brain, to all parts of the periphery.
1814. The nerves being individualized, and withdrawn from the coarser mass, stand in need of no actio in distans, or no nervous atmosphere (although for other reasons such a one may exist), in order that every part of the body should have sensibility or feel; for every substance is verily but an aberrant nervous substance, in which the original spirit is still inherent or abides.
1815. Each part of the body has consequently irritability, and each one has the capacity for sensation; and that, indeed, through and in itself, or not borrowed from, what have been called, nerves; as it is indeed only the coarse nervous envelope of the more delicate nerves.
1816. Yet, meanwhile it is certain, that nothing feels but the nervous mass, because every thing, which feels, does, and hath the power to do so, only in so far as it has been nervous mass. Precisely as all metals are only magnetic in so far as they are metamorphosed iron, which is the primary metal.
1817. Certain formations or textures must, on that account, have different sensations, because they have deviated more or less remotely from the primary texture; without in this any regard being paid to the number of nerves running to such systems.
1818. The transformation of the nervous mass upon the periphery is chiefly imparted by oxydation, because here the oxygen of the water exerts a direct influence. The transformation does not, however, simply occur upon the periphery, but also internally, and that indeed in a beamy or radial direction. The external parts will be harder, the internal or radial continue soft, but be more solid than the nervous mass itself.
2. Globe-tissue.