Hekrick, Physiological Corollaries of Eqidlibrium Theory. 29 



neural equilibrium, it follows that the germ is also situated in 

 the field of these equilibrated forces and its composition, i. e. 

 its own force formula, would be the resultant of the reaction 

 of the existing (ontogenetic) formula as modifying the earlier 

 (phylogenetic) force formula. Instead, then, of searching for 

 "ids," "bioplasts," gemmules," or the like we may feel assured 

 that, in a much more complete and integrated form, the entire 

 life of the organism will have its effect on the germ. This con- 

 fidence will not cause us to pay less attention to the structural 

 appearance of the cell and, in particular, the germ cells, but 

 will prevent loss of valuable effort in the invention of sterile 

 theories and prepare the way for a dynamic interpretation of 

 these phenomena. 



It may be noted in this connection that S. Ramon y Cajal 

 has apparently suggested, by implicatian at least, some of the 

 grounds for the equiUbrium theory in his suggestive article in 

 the Archiv f. Anatouiie ii. PJiysiologie, 1895. He says : "Die 

 Phanomen der vorerwahnten lawinenartigen Leitung, sowie die 

 geringe Zahl der sensorischen Elemente (Zapfen der Fovea cen- 

 tralis, akustische Zellen u. s. w.) welche alle die zahlreichen 

 Eindriicke, fur welche unsere Sinne empfanglich sind, aufneh- 

 men mussen, zwingen zu der Annahme dass jede Sinneszelle, 

 sowie jede subordinirte Gruppe von Pyramidenzellen des Ge- 

 hirns successiv an der Production verschiedener Bilder sich be- 

 theiligen. Vom anatomisch-physiologishen Standpunkt aus, 

 wird eine Wahrnehmung von einanderen, zu derselben Empfin- 

 dungsquantitat gehorigen, durch die Zahl und die betreffende 

 Lage der corticalen in Erregung gesetzten Pyramidengruppen 

 unterscheiden." It would seem to be evident from the above 

 that not only the exact impression to be perceived is not pro- 

 duced by the organ of sense (since it would then be divided 

 into a large number of parts in being transferred to the larger 

 number of pyramid cells) but also that inasmuch as the same 

 cells may be participants in different percepts the physiological 

 basis for the latter must be the particular formula of these per- 

 mutations in a given case and thus a simple impression must be 



