Trans. N. V. Ac. Set. 82 ^^^. 5, 



contents into separate granules ; and, as the action of the reagent con- 

 tinues, the granules become more distinct, uutil they can be very clearly 

 defined by a good objective. 



It is a fact well known to observers with the microscope, that any 

 body, regularly marked with fine and close dots, can be made to appear 

 as though covered with fine, continuous lines. The dots merge into 

 each other and form lines in the image. Thus, in the diatom, pleuro- 

 sigma atigidatum, an inferior objective will show the markings as fine, 

 distinct lines, but a better lens will resolve the lines into rows of dots, 

 a fact familiar to every microscopist. It is doubtless owing to this that 

 the granular structure of protoplasm has been taken for a reticulum. 



I believe the strongest and the most convincing argument, against this 

 bioplasson doctrine, is the fact that the reticulum, which these gentlemen 

 declare is so readily observed, has hitherto entirely escaped the notice 

 of the best histologists in the world. Dr. Heitzmann has used these 

 words : " Take a drop of pus, tresh, without adding anything, and you 

 will see the wonderful structure in each pus-corpuscle with great 

 ease." 



I will ask if it is reasonable to suppose that a structure, that can be 

 seen " with great ease," could have been overlooked by such men as 

 Beale, Balfour, Carpenter, Frey, Biitschli, and a host of other equally 

 competent observers, and reserved for an individual of to-day to dis- 

 cover. Yet this is what Dr. Heitzmann declares he has discovered, and 

 upon this discovery he has built up a totally new and comprehensive 

 theory of the structure, not only of living matter, but of the whole liv- 

 ing world, connecting all the different tissues of the animal and vegeta- 

 ble body through this reticulum, and utterly discarding the cell-doctrine, 

 which has rendered such excellent service to science for thirty years. 

 To an experienced microscopist the idea seems preposterous. The 

 objects most familiar to the histologist and pathologist, coming almost 

 daily under the eye of the physician who uses the microscope in his 

 practice, are now declared to possess a distinctly reticulate structure, 

 never before even dreamed of. 



DISCUSSION. 



The Chairman enquired whether it had been established that the 

 motions of the amoebae were dependent on ciUa or otherwise. 



Mr. Hitchcock repHed that at present there is no evidence nor 

 knowledge of the structure of the amoebae ; indeed, they appear to 

 be absolutely without visible structure. 



Dr. L. SCHOENEY remarked that to see or not to see is the real ques- 

 tion in regard to structure. More stress, however, is now laid upon 



