442 First European Journey 



all) there is a deep-seated strand of tumor tissue extending all the way 

 from the primary tumor to the secondary. 



3. The bacteria accompany the secondary tumors the same as the primary 

 tumors, and apparently in about the same abundance, that is to say, 

 scarcity.'^'' 



Five years of experiments were required before a method was 

 believed to have been found to stain the organism within the cell 

 structures, that is, with the exacting technique necessary to com- 

 plete elucidation. Many stains had been used. But to differentiate 

 lignified from nonlignified tissues, the method recommended by 

 Charles Joseph Chamberlain in his Methods in Plant Histology 

 (pp. 49, 68), "a prolonged stain in methyl green followed by 

 a short exposure to acid fuchsin," "^ had proved best. Further, 

 by impregnating with gold chlorid. Smith, Brown, and McCuUoch 

 had been able to demonstrate " that the bacteria are not abundant 

 in the tissues, that they ocair inside the cells but outside the 

 nucleus, and that Y-bodies and variously branched forms are 

 common." 



At the American Association for Cancer Research meeting. 

 Smith exhibited both photographs and specimens, and announced 

 that another bulletin setting forth the additional facts was being 

 prepared. In answer to a question from Dr. Frank Burr Mallory, 

 associate professor of pathology at Harvard University, as to 

 whether or not he could stain the organism, Smith answered, 

 " Perfectly well. The organism is rare however. These organisms 

 secrete acetic acid and this causes them to quickly go into involu- 

 tion forms." And in answer to a question from Dr. Beebe, " Is the 

 actual division of the cell due to stimulation by these organisms? " 

 Smith replied, " The cells divide by mitosis and the organism is 

 in the tissues." 



If the discussion was completely abstracted, little or no definite 

 notice was taken of Smith's announced discovery of a paren- 

 chymatous tumor strand found in inoculated Paris daisy plants 

 connecting the primary stem tumors with deep-seated secondary 



""^ Zeitschrijt jiir Krebsforschuiig 11(1), 1911, Berlin, and reprint. 



'^ The structure and development of crown gall: a plant cancer, op. cit., 23-24; 

 22. In 1914 Smith made a "Statement" before the Committee on Agriculture of 

 the House of Representatives, which said on this point: " it required five years of 

 experiments before we were able to find a method of staining [the organism] inside 

 of the cells." Presumably what was seen was mitochondria. Intro, to bact. dis. of 

 plants, op. cit., 419- 



