CHARACTERISTICS OF PROTOPLASM 55 



another and succeeded in having them grow and function in the 

 second animal. His work on antiseptics, during the World War, 

 was invaluable. It seemed almost impossible to keep wounds free 

 from contaminating germs which destroyed the cells. He and 

 Dakin prepared and introducefl an antiseptic, Dakin solution, for 

 treating wounds. This solution, which did not injure the tissue, 

 saved many soldiers from gangrene and other infections. 



The problem of heredity which involves an understanding of 

 certain cells is now being studied by many scientists. It is a well 

 known fact that certain physical and mental traits are transmitted 

 from parent to offspring through a granular material, chromatin, 

 found in the nucleus of the germ cells. This chromatin combines 

 to form the structures, chromosomes, which carry and transmit 

 certain character determiners. Experiments are now being made 

 to find out exactlv what characters are inherited, and the amount 

 of the hereditary-bearing substance. Why has a certain individual 

 one ability, while another in the same family lacks this ability? 

 Scientists, including T. H. Morgan, W. J. V. Osterhout, E. B.. 

 Wilson, and R. H. Chambers, are working on this problem at the 

 present time. 



Characteristics of protoplasm. Protoplasm is being studied by 

 many biologists from four different viewpoints. 



Physically — it is a constantly streaming, colorless, slimy, semi- 

 liquid substance similar to the white of an egg. It is a colloid. 

 By that we mean it is a mass of tiny solid particles suspended 

 in a liquid. It will not pass through a parchment membrane. 



Chemically — it is a very complex unstable mass made of pro- 

 teins and inorganic salts associated with a large amount of water 

 and frequently containing carbohydrates and fats. 



Structurally — it is variable. Sometimes it appears purely gran- 

 ular, other times fibrillar or threadlike, and again it may resemble 

 a mass of foam or bubbles. It varies according to the activity 

 and individual nature of the cell. 



