THE MITOCHONDRIAL CONSTITUENTS OF PROTOPLASM. 139 



He also describes an increase in mitochondria in the active stage of regeneration 

 and is of the opinion (with Ronieis) that the mitochondria participate directly in 

 the formation of secretion. 



It is accordingly interesting to note that Oliver (1916, p. 307) describes a dis- 

 tinct decrease in the number of mitochondria in regenerating kidney-cells in chronic 

 uranium poisoning, but this discrepancy may be due to studying a different stage 

 in the regenerative process. 



FEVER. 



The single observations of Policard (1912d, p. 229) on the temperature solu- 

 bility of mitochondria are perhaps significant. He found that exposure for 30 

 minutes to a temperature of from 47° to 50° C. dissolved the mitochondria in 

 kidnej'-cells without affecting the appearance of the nuclei. It is well within the 

 bounds of po.ssibility that a prolonged or intermittent temperature of say 40° C, 

 as in a high fever, may bring about a solution or chemical alteration of mitochondria 

 in some cells of the body. This is, at any rate, an interesting thought in connection 

 with Welch's (1888, p. 403) belief that fatty degeneration in heart-muscle is in some 

 way associated with high fevers. 



ACIDOSIS. 



Thus far no account of mitochondria in acidosis has appeared. Now, it is 

 common knowledge that mitochondria are very sensitive to acids. It is also well 

 known that one of the first manifestations of acidosis is a marked inhibition of 

 the respiratory oxidation of the cell (Mathews, 1915, p. 247). If there is anythng 

 in the theory that mitochondria function in processes of oxidation and reduction 

 it is possible that these two facts may be related. Let us remember also the 

 dyspnoea in acidosis. Moreover, mitochondria resj^ond to a wide range of noxious 

 influences by sweUing up before going into solution, which might well be due to 

 the effect of increased H-ion concentration upon their protein fraction, causing it 

 to become hygroscopic and to swell. The affinity of injured cells for basic anilin 

 dyes is probably due to a swing of the reaction in them- toward the acid side. 



TUMORS. 

 The older jjathologists did not touch on the question of mitochondria in tumor- 

 cells. Veratti (1909, p. 34) and Beckton (1909, p. 182) independently, in the 

 same year, jHiblished their researches on tumors. Veratti applied the uncertain 

 Golgi method to cells of a transplantable mouse carcinoma and brought to light 

 filamentous structures which appeared to be mitochondria. Beckton's techni([ue 

 was a little better, though he relied entirely upon the old, original Altmami's 

 method, but his conclusions were startling and stimulated a great deal of interest. 

 He thought (1909, ]). 191) that the granules of Altmann (mitochondria) were 

 absent in the cells of malignant tumors and that malignant growths could be dis- 

 tinguished from benign in this way. Bensley (1910«, p. 81) at once grasped the 

 possible importance of this assertion and proceeded to test it out. His results 

 were entirely at variance with those of Beckton, for he found that as a matter of 



