SYMBIONTICISM AND ORGANIC EVOLUTION 133 



nucleus contained within a nuclear membrane. While 

 the bacteria are often spoken of as "cells" we prefer, in 

 agreement with many bacteriologists, not to call them 

 "cells." Obviously this is chiefly a morphological distinc- 

 tion, but it also represents a distinct stage in organic 

 evolution.) 



A number of views have been advanced on the nature of 

 the formation of the first cells. It is not clear from the 

 literature, if a distmction between true cells and micro- 

 organisms has been made in these theories. In some cases 

 bacteria have been designated as cells. The theories and 

 hypotheses that have been advanced, necessarily, have 

 been speculative in character. At one time it was a matter 

 of considerable controversy among biologists whether 

 chromatin or protoplasm is the more ancient. "Boveri 

 suggested that true cells arose through symbiosis between 



protoplasm and chromatin Wilson believes that 



chromatin and protoplasm are coexistent in cells from the 

 earliest known stages, in the bacteria and even probably 

 in the ultra-microscopic forms" (Conklin). 



If bacteria were the first forms of life on the earth, as we 

 beheve, then the one-celled plants and animals, necessarily, 

 must have originated from the bacteria, if we are to accept 

 the theory of organic evolution. A separate and distinct 

 origin would be contrary to the principle of evolution, and 

 it would mean nothing more nor less than a return to the 

 principle of separate creations. As students of biology, we 

 are bound by all the evidence that has ever been brought 

 to light to uphold the principle of organic evolution. We 

 may discard the view that bacteria were the primordial 

 organisms on the earth, but that would be against the dic- 

 tates of our better judgment. It then becomes necessary to 

 attempt to explain the causes for the variations in bacteria 

 that have led to the origin of one-celled plants and animals. 



The question arises: Did these variations of bacteria 



