SECT. 



2] 



AND WEIGHT 



411 



Fig. 46, taken from Robertson's first paper, illustrates the relation 

 between the curves for the three chemical reactions, while in Fig. 47 

 is seen the theoretical and the experimental curve compared. In this 

 same first paper, Robertson applied his autocatalytic equation to 

 the growth of man, frog, a vine, and to certain organs. The frog 

 figures, which were those of Davenport, were the nearest approach 



50 



150 200 



Age in days 



Fig. 47- 



300 



to embryonic growth dealt with by Robertson, and they are given 

 in Table 54. They showed a good measure of agreement, but whether 

 it was right to say, as Robertson did in his summary, that "in all 

 probability cell growth or the synthesis of cytoplasm is an auto- 

 catalytic reaction" is a question that subsequent workers have not 

 by any means answered with a bald affirmative, 



Robertson pointed out that his new interpretation of growth curves 

 fitted in very well with the views that had already been advanced 

 by Loeb. Loeb had suggested that the processes of cell-division and 



