20 TRANSACTIONS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. [VOL. II. 



of the cell, and in it all the vital processes originate. When it is. 

 abundant the cell is vigorous or it is highly endowed vitally, and this is 

 especially the case in embryonic cells. This substance is transferred 

 from the maternal organism to the tissues of the embryo either through 

 a special organ, the placenta, directly, or indirectly by means of the yolk 

 of the egg in lower animals. The yolk contains a comparatively large 

 quantity of the chromatin, and this is transferred to the embryonic 

 organs partly by wandering cells, which absorb it and carry it thither. 

 These wandering cells become gorged so to speak with chromatin, and 

 they constitute the haematoblasts, or young blood corpuscles. Of the 

 chromatin, which these corpuscles utilize a portion is converted into 

 haemoglobin, and this is the only source of that pigment in young 

 blood corpuscles. As haemoglobin contains iron. Dr. Macallum 

 concluded that chromatin also possesses it. In the preparations of 

 various kinds of chromatins iron could not be detected, but it was 

 readily recognized in the ash of the substance. Dr. Macallum has 

 quite recently found a way of detecting the iron of the chromatin in the 

 intact nucleus. From all these observations it is proved that the 

 fundamental life substance of the cell is a compound in which iron is 

 present and more firmly combined than it is in haemoglobin. As the 

 latter is an oxygen carrier it may be concluded that the chromatin of 

 every cell absorbs oxygen, and that through this the respiratory and 

 chemical changes of the cell are brought about. The question of the 

 absorption of iron in the body was also taken up, and facts were related 

 which showed that the iron of the chromatins of the body comes into the 

 system through the chromatins of the food, which the administration of 

 iron or iron salts as therapeutic reagents protects from decomposition. 



ELEVENTH MEETING. 



Eleventh Meeting, 24th January, 1891, Mr. Harvey in the chair. 



Donations and Exchanges, 54. 



Ernest Cruickshank, George Mickle, H.A., R. P. B. Joyce, and E. C. 

 Jeffrey, B.A., were elected members. 



Dr. Canniff was added to the Committee on Historical Documents. 



A communication was read from the treasurer of the International 

 Congress of the Geographical Societies, to be held at Berne from the ist 

 to the 15th of August next, giving the programme of the congress and 

 inviting the co-operation of the Canadian Institute and the presence of 

 its members at the proceedings. 



