Vol. XXXVI. February, 1919. No. 2. 



BIOLOGICAL BULLETIN 



ON THE PRESENT STATUS OF THE CHONDRIO- 



SOME-PROBLEM. 1 



J. DUESBERG. 



Before I come to the subject of this address, I want to make 

 a short incursion into the domain of nomenclature. As I 

 recently pointed out, the word "mitochondrium" designates a 

 body of granular form. Since those who use it as a general 

 denomination have in mind certain bodies which very often 

 appear as filaments, they are led to speak of "filamentous mito- 

 chondria," something which is inconceivable. Besides, using a 

 term in a new sense adds greatly to the confusion already existing 

 in the nomenclature, much more than the use of a new term. 

 In 1915 I reverted to the use of the word "chondriosome," for 

 although there may be some objection to it, in the present state 

 of things it has two distinct advantages one, that it does not 

 preclude anything as to the form of the bodies which it is sup- 

 posed to designate; the other, that it is already extensively used, 

 so that its further adoption would bring us very near to that 

 much-to-be-desired unification in our nomenclature. 



Speaking of the present status of the chondriosome-problem, 

 I have to speak of what has been done in this particular field of 

 cytological research, and also of what is still to be done. There 

 is much to say on either topic, since the number of observations 

 published on chondriosomes is enormous and since an agreement 

 on some the most fundamental questions is as yet far from being 

 reached. Owing to lack of time, however, my account must 

 necessarily be confined to a few essential points. 



Beginning with what has been accomplished, one of the most 

 gratifying results for the cytologist who works in that field is the 



1 Lecture delivered at Woods Hole Marine Biological Laboratory, Mass., July 

 23, 1918. 



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