The science of life : fully illustrated in tone and line and including many diagrams

THE BODY IS A MACHINE

in eating and in toiling—in gnawing holes and runs, in collecting nest-materials, in foraging for crumbs and suchlike remnants. There are intervals for ablution—and although a mouse does not use soap and water he goes over himself with a thoroughness that would put many of our own species to shame. There are social occasionsfriendly meetings, fights, and the periodic disturbances of love. ‘There are young mice and old mice, male mice and female mice, helpless pink baby mice to parallel Mr. Everyman’s social circle. The chief difference is that the mouse-world is not so well organized as ours is, nor is Mr. Everymouse’s day so definitely planned ; he has to hunt about for his food instead of going to special eating-houses, and he has to be more on the alert for danger. He probably goes hungry more often than does Mr. Everyman. Presently, a little after dawn the house world from which a sensible mouse retires, becomes a world of loud noises and perils, and so he gives place to the man again. These two living creatures are as mechanism very much alike indeed. Later on we shall have to consider many forms of life so different from man in form and nature that relatively a kind of cousinship will appear between the two. As the reader probably knows they are classified together, with dogs and horses and all creatures that have hair

and milk, as “ mammals.” Their bodies are such beautiful and wonderful things that to many people it is almost repugnant to approach these palpitatine sensitive structures in a coldly calculating mood. And yet if we are to understand them aright that is the mood in which we must study them. In that mood alone can we seek the explanation of this perpetual and universal desire that makes the stuffing of food into a hole in our faces the first fact in life, and reconcile the higher aspects of existence with even more sordid realities. These things and many others become clear and only become clear if we analyse the body from a mechanistic point of view, if we insist upon knowing why food is thus primarily necessary for life, and if we ask why does life, our life, and the life of all the creatures we know and observe hinge first of all on that? If we refuse to slur over these questions we shall find only one possible answer.

§ 2

Why we Call these Bodies Machines

Both the man and the mouse are continually giving out material energy. They are never completely at rest as long as they live ; even when they sleep their limbs twitch, their ribs heave, and their hearts continue with regular, rhythmical beat.

And, besides

Se he Aree eth ———

Fig. 3. Mr. Everymouse at his toilet.