DEFENSIVE FERMENTS OF THE ANIMAL ORGANISM 4! 



no value to the cell. It would be quite erroneous if 

 we were to consider any substance for instance, 

 albumen as the paramount life substance. A single 

 ion can in certain cases decide the life or death of a 

 cell. An aggregation of molecules may combine to 

 form a powerful complex a colloid and by means 

 of its properties dominate the whole function of a 

 cell. The structure and configuration of the separate 

 compounds, and of the separate units of the 

 cell are of the greatest importance for its indivi- 

 duality. To this we must add, and as partly con- 

 ditioned by the above, their structure and configur- 

 ation in the physical sense. A. separation of the 

 chemical and physical properties of the cellular 

 units is impossible, since they constitute mutually 

 the conditions of life for the cell. They stamp it with 

 its own character. 



Substances, which may be indifferent products for 

 one kind of cell, may be injurious to another kind. 

 Each cell produces secretions of its own, in the forma- 

 tion of which many intermediate stages are passed 

 through. If the whole transformation into substances 

 that will be in harmony with the plasma be performed 

 inside the cell, then any by-products that may appear, 

 even though they be not indifferent in regard to 

 other cells, will display no injurious activity in the 

 organism as a whole. If, however, such insufficiently 

 transformed substances penetrate into the general 



