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occur in which one normal embryo is accompanied bj', or bears 

 one or more abnormal embryos — embryomata ; these are 

 incomplete " embryos " or individuals and may occur in almost 

 any part of the body. One such instance is on record where 

 three embryos hung as more or less incomplete parasites from 

 the palate of a fourth. According to Beard, germ-cells which 

 develop neoplasms have undergone some modification — they 

 have lost their " memories." 



These " memories " must not, however, be considered as 

 the equivalents of Weismann's determinants. Beard does not 

 believe in these supposed entities ; he holds " life and its 

 " phenomena to be due to the ' memories ' of what we call 

 " living matter. What living matter really is no one knows." 



This loss of " memory " is shared in degree by a certain 

 unknown number of the germ-cells, constituting them " retro- 

 grade or rudimentary embryonic cells." It is these retrograde 

 embryonic cells (these must not be confoun Jed with the " lost 

 germs" of the pathologists) that give rise to neoplasms, whether 

 benign or malignant. " This," according to Beard, " explains 

 " why in one development a certain germ-cell will produce an 

 " identical twin, while the corresponding germ-cell in another 

 " instance develops into a monster, or into an embryoma, or 

 "into such \\ith a malignant tumour, or into a mixed and 

 " malignant neoplasm, or, lastly, into a simple sarcoma or car- 

 " cinoma. All depends upon the amount of unconscious memory 

 " retained by those retrogressive germ-cells, which formerly 

 " gave birth to normal embryos, identical twins, triplets, etc."* 



In other words, a germ-cell which ultimately gives rise to 

 a tumour is an " embryonic cell," identical sister of that which 

 became an embryo. It should have developed when the 

 embryo arose. A germ-cell can only do one of two things and 

 live. (1) It can develop. (2) If it should not have done so 

 but gets encapsulated, it can ultimately only develop (Beard 

 doubts if it ever does) or go on with the cycle of germ-cells. 

 If it cannot form gametes, it may skip this part and go on to 

 the next stage — trophoblast, with its unlimited power of 

 malignant growth. 



* John Beard, "The Problems of Cancer/' The Uiiicet. Oct,, 29th, 190-1. 



