| OCR Text |
Show Change - Within a very near approach to truth, the human family inhabiting the earth has been estimated at 1,000,000,000, the annual loss by death is 18,000,000. Now the weight of the annual matter of this body cast into the grave is no less than 630,000 tons, and its decomposition produces 9,000,000,000,000 cubic feet of matter. The vegetable productions of the earth clear away from the earth the gases thus generated, decomposing and as stimulating them for their own increase. This circle of change has been going on since man became an occupier of the earth. He feeds on lower animals and on the seeds of plants, which in due time become part of himself. The lower animals feed upon the herbs and grasses, which in their turn become the animal; then by his death again pass into the atmosphere, and are ready once more to be assimilated by plants, the earth or bone substance alone remain where it is deposited, and not even there unless prosecuted as a common swindler. |
