66 Intracelhilar Conditions [Sept. 



as well as the dynamic properties of a cell are dependent upon the 

 qualities, conditions, interrelationships, and proportions of its 

 chemical constituents. 



Cell Problems are embodied in all other biological qiiestions. 

 What are the constituents of living cells of any particular type? 

 How are these constituents, as we now know them chemically, 

 coordinated with or related to each other? To what degree is any 

 particular vital phenomenon due to the chemical or mechanical 

 heterogeneity of the contents of the Controlling cells? To what 

 extent do specific intracellular physical and chemical relationships, 

 individually or collectively, affect the functional powers and pecu- 

 liarities of a cell? Which cellular phenomena are due to adsorp- 

 tion, which to surface tension? How far may these intracellular 

 chemical situations be disturbed without impairment of a cell's 

 activities? Which cellular functions are influenced by intracellular 

 osmotic forces? Which cellular phenomena are collochemical ? 

 What general or local eff ects accrue f rom " spontaneous " re- 

 arrangements of cell constituents ? What new chemical and physical 

 coordinations result within a cell from the influence of unusual con- 

 ditions without? What are the intracellular foundations for the 

 tropisms? What is the exact nature of a given cell "membrane" 

 and what are the functional powers of such membranes ? To what 

 extent is disease an expression of disadvantageous coordinations of 

 cellular constituents in response to unfavorable influences? To 

 what degree is successful resistance to disease the result of a capa- 

 city to effect defensive intracellular alinements of chemical constit- 

 uents? Which Symptoms of a given disease arise from the incapa- 

 city of a particular group of cells to readjust their internal chemical 

 parts for the maintenance of adequate protection against disturbing 

 external agents? Medicinal as well as toxic effects ensue through 

 influences on cell constituents but how, in a given case, are the 

 effects induced and upon which of the constituents, and why, are 

 they thus primarily registered? How do nutritive excesses or 

 nutritive deficiencies affect intracellular conditions? How do 

 mental and emotional conditions bring about the profound in- 

 fluences so often exhibited through both mechanical and chemical 



