DEFENSIVE FERMENTS OF THE ANIMAL ORGANISM 39 



These agents are probably supplied by the cells of 

 other organs. 



It is quite probable that, at present, being too 

 much concerned with the phenomena of structural 

 chemistry, we observe the processes in the cell from 

 a too one-sided point of view, and think too little of 

 the physical state of the cell. We know that many 

 reactions depend entirely upon the conditions present, 

 if the action is to take place. For instance, a change 

 in the reaction of the medium is sufficient to annihilate 

 the activity of n ferment. The addition of the least 

 trace of an electrolyte will, under certain circum- 

 stances, accelerate certain reactions; and alterations 

 in the conditions may even upset a reaction entirely, 

 and lead to totally different end products. The pro- 

 cesses in the interior of the cells are surely subjected 

 to a much greater extent to the influences of the 

 physical state of the cell. Colloidal substances and 

 electrolytes the ions and perhaps the rest of the 

 substances in solution, certainly play a considerable 

 role in their reciprocal relations. Here we meet with 

 regulations of a kind which we are at present unable 

 to discern. Might it not be in this direction that the 

 collaborations of different body cells would appear of 

 the greatest significance? Many a process, which 

 manifests itself and attracts our attention most 

 strongly on account of the ease with which it can be 

 demonstrated, may perhaps be of quite a secondary 



