rition.
Disintegration of the formed material is as essential as the
building up of it. All organic structure is the result of change
taking place in bioplasm. These small cell-like bioplasts are
the workmen of the organism. All wounds are repaired by them,
all fractures are united, and all diseased tissues brought back
to their normal and healthy condition, unless there is not
vitality enough to overcome disease, or they have been injured
or killed by poisonous material. The body is kept in repair by
this living matter, and all the functions of the body are but
the result of its action. We may examine, watch and study
bioplasm under the microscope; we see it take up pabulum and
convert that which is adapted to itself into its own substance,
while all other substances are rejected. We take a solution of
what we call a stimulant and immerse the bioplasm in it, and we
find that it increases its activity, moves faster, takes up more
pabulum, and divides more rapidly than in the unstimulated
condition. We next add an astringent, and it begins to move more
slowly, and soon contracts into a spherical shape and remains
contracted, or may move slowly to a limited extent, depending on
the strength of the solution. We next take a relaxant, and
gradually the living matter begins to spread in all directions,
in a laxy-like manner, and becomes so thin as to be almost
undiscernible, and takes up very little, if any, pabulum. If
sufficiently relaxed or astringed, the movements may entirely
cease so as to appear lifeless, but when a stimulant is again
added the same result is obtained as before--it begins to move,
and acts as vigorous as ever, which shows that it was not
injured in the least by the agents used. Alcohol is called a
stimulant. We take a weak solution of alcohol and try it in the
same way; but we find that almost instantly the living matter
contracts into a ball-like mass. Now, we may through ignorance
suppose that alcohol acts as an astringent, and so we try to
stimulate it with the same harmless agent before used, but no
impression is made on it; it does not move; it is dead matter.
These are demonstrable facts, and lie at the foundation of
physiology, pathology and the practice of medicine. Alcohol
destroys the very life force that alone keeps the body in
repair. For a