282 IV. THE PRINCIPLES OF LIFE PHENOMENA 



in so tremendous numbers that the protozoa constitute as much as 

 one third of the weight of the termite (102). The protozoa is de- 

 finitely benefitable for the termite and without which the insect can- 

 not continue to live, suggesting that the termite harbours the protozoa 

 as a heritable pattern of the gene. 



As already referred to, phage is found in tissue cells of various 

 animals, such as chickens, mice, flies, etc. It may not be impossible 

 to regard such phages as the virus stage of bacteria parasitic on the 

 animals. The appearance of such organ phages is under the influence 

 of season as in the case of the virus of measles. Vincent (103) has 

 studied the flora of the small intestine of normal and X-radiated rats 

 and found that the coli-form and pathogenic staphylococcus increased 

 markedly following irradiation. This effect of irradiation was ob- 

 served not only with the bacteria in the intestine but with those in 

 blood. Thus, bacteriaemia of enteric origin has been found to occur 

 in a high percentage of mice following total-body X-irradiation (103a). 

 This may be interpreted as indicating the revelation of the pattern by 

 the irradiation. It should be remembered in this connection that 

 active phage is readily revealed in lysogenic bacteria following ultra- 

 violet irradiation (82). 



In order to utilize the host effectively for the purpose of rejuve- 

 nation, microorganisms should not exert too great detrimental effect 

 upon the host, and so mostly they may establish a commensal relation- 

 ship with the host. This may be the case also with plants ; it is 

 well known that various non-pathogenic bacteria exist within plants, 

 remaining viable and possibly multiplying, but not producing any 

 visible disease symptoms (104). 



The writer's concept discussed so far may seem erratic to some 

 authorities. However, no one can doubt the fact that in our bodies 

 there are normally produced cells named leucocytes which behave like 

 protozoa able to move like amoeba and eat various substances which 

 are injurious to us. Moreover, when a man develops to a certain 

 extent, cells capable of acting as the gametes which can be regarded 

 as an independent unicellular organism are raised in him. It is 

 evident that these agents are not brought about by an infection from 

 outside, although they have each immunological specificity like par- 

 asitic microorganisms. No one can deny the opinion that they should 

 be attributed to respective heritable patterns of the gene. 



A pathological agent belonging to this category may be cancer. 

 When a man having the predisposition to cancer grows up to a cer- 

 tain age, occasionally a strange cell, termed a cancer cell, is produced 

 which behaves like an independent microorganism, multiplying vigor- 

 ously at the sacrifice of the normal cells until even the host itself is 



