PHYSICAL ANTECEDENTS OF SCIENCE 119

and this works out the desired effect for him, just as if it

were an elaborate machine. In the first place, the various

movable parts of his eyes must be so adjusted that he may

see the mark distinctly. Then his body must be held in

a proper position, the stone be grasped with just the right

amount of firmness (that is, certain muscles must be con-

tracted to the proper amount), the arm must be thrown back

to the due extent, and its muscles contracted, in co-ordination

with the movements of the eyes, and with just that degree

of vigour which, as his fingers are relaxed, will carry the

stone as he desires it should go. Thus various complex

groups of movements may be synthesized without our will

and without our knowledge so as to result in the production

of one complex action of the whole body.

Besides these conspicuous movements, a multitude of

minute ones are continually taking place in the living body

movements which we not only cannot feel but can in no

way perceive in ourselves. They can only be perceived in

animals by making use of various devices, including the use

of the microscope.

We have mentioned the function of alimentation as that of

the system of organs termed alimentary organs which

receive and digest food. But though these organs do in this

way minister to that function, nutrition ultimately takes

place in parts altogether out of reach of all our powers

of observation, consisting as it does in the reception of new

elements into the very ultimate substance of the body the

change of the prepared residuum of the food we have eaten

into our own living flesh and blood, *>., assimilation. That

this does take place is absolutely certain, but how it takes

place is an entirely unsolved problem. Moreover, it is to be

noted that this function, so absolutely necessary for life, takes

place in the intimate substance of the body beyond the

terminal filaments of the ramifying nerves.

and this works out the desired effect for him, just as if it

were an elaborate machine. In the first place, the various

movable parts of his eyes must be so adjusted that he may

see the mark distinctly. Then his body must be held in

a proper position, the stone be grasped with just the right

amount of firmness (that is, certain muscles must be con-

tracted to the proper amount), the arm must be thrown back

to the due extent, and its muscles contracted, in co-ordination

with the movements of the eyes, and with just that degree

of vigour which, as his fingers are relaxed, will carry the

stone as he desires it should go. Thus various complex

groups of movements may be synthesized without our will

and without our knowledge so as to result in the production

of one complex action of the whole body.

Besides these conspicuous movements, a multitude of

minute ones are continually taking place in the living body

movements which we not only cannot feel but can in no

way perceive in ourselves. They can only be perceived in

animals by making use of various devices, including the use

of the microscope.

We have mentioned the function of alimentation as that of

the system of organs termed alimentary organs which

receive and digest food. But though these organs do in this

way minister to that function, nutrition ultimately takes

place in parts altogether out of reach of all our powers

of observation, consisting as it does in the reception of new

elements into the very ultimate substance of the body the

change of the prepared residuum of the food we have eaten

into our own living flesh and blood, *>., assimilation. That

this does take place is absolutely certain, but how it takes

place is an entirely unsolved problem. Moreover, it is to be

noted that this function, so absolutely necessary for life, takes

place in the intimate substance of the body beyond the

terminal filaments of the ramifying nerves.