468 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [1892. 



Following these observations, my own remarks at the close of my 

 paper of 1890 may be appropriately quoted : — 



" In that the doctrine of the isolation of the germ-plasma is in irre- 

 concilable conflict with the great cardinal principle upon which the 

 whole fabric of modern physiological science rears its stately propor- 

 tions, namely with the general theory of metabolism, and, conse- 

 quently, with the still more imposing and universal principle of the 

 conservation of energy, we therefore idealize what a colossal fabric 

 of speculative rubbish must be consigned to the limbo of untenable 

 and forgotten hypotheses, in what is represented by the misguided 

 labors of the advocates of the existence of an unalterable germ- 

 plasma." 



