191 1] William J. Gies 283 



We will encounter no difficulty in explaining the various experi- 

 mental facts at our disposal by ignoring altogether the existence of 

 impermeable or partially permeable cell membranes and simply remem- 

 bering that the substance of a cell consists of a mixture of different 

 colloids. A part of these are colloidal Solutions of the proteins with 

 physical and chemical properties analogous to the physical and chemical 

 properties of fibrin, gelatin, etc. ; a part, colloidal Solutions of the 

 lipoids, which while sharing some of the properties possessed by the 

 protein colloidal Solutions, such as their power of swelling in water, 

 have specific properties of their own, such as their power of taking up 

 substances soluble only in the fat-like bodies.- (Page 96.) 



In Order to complete my argument let me add at once that we cannot 

 and must not consider the absorption, or secretion, of water and the 

 absorption, or secretion, of a substance dissolved in the water as iden- 

 tical processes. Workers in biology make this mistake constantly. 

 The processes of the absorption of water and the absorption of dis- 

 solved substances do not parallel each other in simple physico-chemical 

 experiments, and so need not, and do not, in living cells. The two are 

 f requently associated, and may at times lie so closely together that they 

 give the impression of running parallel with each other. (Page 96.) 



When we consider protoplasm simply as a mixture of different 

 colloids (proteins, fats, carbohydrates), and consider the special char- 

 acteristics of absorption that arise out of such a mixture not only as 

 regards water, but as regards substances dissolved, or pseudo-dissolved 

 (colloids) in it, it seems to me that we can account without difficulty, 

 even without membranes, for all those phenomena which have up to 

 the present been interpreted through the assumption of semi-permeable, 

 partially permeable, and lipoidal membranes about cells. (Page 98.) 



The nature of Fischer's evidence. Fischer assembles his 

 "proof for the truth of his contention" (as stated in general terms 

 in the opening paragraph of this review), in direct support of the 

 following three theses (p. 99) : 



1. An abnormal production or accumulation of acids, or conditions 

 predisposing thereto, exist in all states in which we encounter the 

 development of an edema. (Pages 99-109.) 



2. The development of an edema in tissues is antagonized by the 

 same substances which decrease the affinity of the (hydrophilic) emul- 



' The role of the colloidal carbohydrates is ignored in this discussion simply 

 because very Httle of immediate interest to us has yet been done with thcm. 



