Bd. XCV. Nr. I. XXV. Jahrgang. 



Botanisches Centralblatt. 



Referirendes Organ 



der 



Association Internationale des Botanistes 



für das Gesammtgebiet der Botanik. 



Herausgegeben unter der Leitung 

 des Präsidenten: des Vice-Präsidenten: des Secretärs : 



Prof. Dr. K. Goebei. Prof. Dr. F. 0. Bower. Dr. J. P. Lotsy. 



und der Redactions-Commissions- Mitglieder : 



Prof. Dr. Ch. Flahault und Dr. Wm. Trelease. 



von zahlreichen Specialredacteuren in den verschiedenen Ländern. 

 Dr. J. P. Lotsy, Chefredacteur 



NO. 1. 



Abonnement für das halbe Jahr 14 Mark 

 durch alle Buchhandlungen und Postanstalten. 



1904, 



Alle für die Redaction bestimmten Sendungen sind zu richten an Herrn 

 Dr. J. P. LOTSY, Chefredacteur, Leiden (Holland), Oude Rijn 33 a. 



Farmer, Bretland J., Moore, J. E. S., and Walker, C. E., On 



the Resemblances Exhibited between the cells of 



Malignant Growths in Man, and those of Normal 



Reproductive Tissues.*) Read before the Royal Society. 



December 10, 1903. 



The object of this communication is to draw attention to certain 

 important cytological transformations exhibited during the development 

 of malignant growths in man. The authors believe that the changes des- 

 cribed are diagnostic of malignant as opposed to those of a benign 

 character. Furthermore, they may at the same time serve to throw 

 light upon the nature of the processes involved in the formation of these 

 growths, and they may also serye as a point of departure for further in- 

 vestigations on the more remote aetiology of the disease itself. 



They disclaim all intention of formulating at the present time any 

 theory as to the nature of these various remote causes, although, as will 

 be seen In the sequel, their observations indicate certain directions along 

 which such causes may perhaps be profitably sought. 



From a large number of malignant growths, including numerous 

 examples of Carcinomata and Sarcomata, they were able to trace 

 in detail a number of definite and serial changes in the cells of the inva- 

 ding and proliferating malignant tissue, which are remarkably similar to 

 those obtained during the maturation of the elements contained within 

 the sexual reproductive glands, and it would seem that such a re- 

 semblance, extending as it does to minute points of detail, can hardly 

 be destitute of grave significance. 



The essential features where in this heterotype mitosis differs from 

 those of the body or soma of the organism (whether plant or animal), 



*) We desire to state that whilst working together at this subject we 

 have each approached the problems from an independant Standpoint. 

 The paper is in every sense a Joint one. 



Botan. Centralbl. Bd. XCV. 1904. 1 



