Trans. N. Y. Ac. Scz. [236 Nov, 21, 
“bioplasson.”’ Of these four synonymous terms, “ protoplasm ”’ is the 
one best known; but has been used in other senses, as well as to 
designate merely elementary living matter. I therefore think that 
“bioplasson”’ is to be preferred. Of course, dead bioplasson is a 
contradiction in terms: bicplasson deprived of vitality is no longer 
bioplasson at all, but merely the chemical remains of what once was 
bioplasson. If this be remembered, there will be no confusion, even 
if the word be used in describing tissues, etc., after death. According 
to Drysdale, Dr. John Fletcher of Edinburgh was the first, who clearly 
arrived at the conclusion that “it is only in virtue of a specially living 
matter, universally diffused and intimately interwoven with its texture, 
that any tissue or part possesses vitality.” 
As Fletcher’s work was published in 1835, several years before even 
the establishment of the cell-doctrine, we cannot but agree so far with 
Drysdale as to say that Fletcher has framed a “hypothesis of the ana- 
tomical nature of the living matter which anticipates in a remarkable 
manner” its discovery! In 1850, Cohn’ recognized the protoplasm ‘tas 
the contractile element, and as what gives to the zodspore the faculty of 
altering its figure, without any corresponding change in volume.” He 
concludes that protoplasm “must be regarded as the prime seat of 
almost all vital activity, but especially of all the motile phenomena in the 
interior of the cell.” In 1853, Huxley? said, “ vitality, (the faculty, that 
is, of exhibiting definite cycles of change in form and composition), is a 
property inherent in certain kinds of matter.” In 1856, Lord Osborne 
discovered carmine staining, and distinguished, by means of coloring it, 
the living formative matter from the formed material, a means\which 
has borne important fruits in the discovery of Cohnheim’s staining of 
living matter by gold chloride, and in that of Recklinghausen’s staining 
all except living matter by silver nitrate. 
In 1858, and in a number of later articles,? Max Schultze, by showing 
that, as had been hypothetically supposed by Unger, the movements of 
the pseudopodia and the granules are really produced by active contrac- 
tile movements of the protoplasm, as well as by other observations, ' 
contributed much to the establishment of the theory of living matter. 
Heckel has also for many years, and in various publications,’ labored to 
1** Nachtrage zur Naturgeschichte des Protococcus pluvialis.” Nova acta Acad. Leop.- 
Carol., vol. xxii, part i, p. 605. 
2** Review of the Cell-theory.”” British and Foreign Medico-chirurg. Review, Oct., 
1853. 
3 ** Ueber innere Bewegungs-Erscheinungen bei Diatomeen,” Miller's Archiv, 1858, p. 
330; ‘* Ueber Cornuspira,” Archiv f. Naturgesch., 1860, p. 287 ; ** Ueber Muskelkirperchen 
und das was man eine Zelle zu nennen habe,” Reichert und Du Bois-Reymond’s Archiv., 
1861, p. 1; Das Protoplasma der Rhizopoden und der Pflanzenzellen, Leipzig, 1863. 
4 Monographie der Radiolarien, 1862, pp. 89, 116; ‘* Ueber den Sarcodekirper der Rhizo- 
poden,” Zeitsch. 7. Wissensch. Zoilogte, 1865, p. 342; Generelle Morphologie, vol. i, pp. 
259, 289. 
