270 DR. ZENKER, ON INFUSORIA. 
in water containing sulphuric acid. It might then be pre- 
sumed that so long as the acidulated water was absorbed the 
pure water would be pushed forwards until the absorptive 
power of the carbon was exhausted. 
And here I cannot conclude without noticing the remark- 
able action exerted by the water upon the substance of the 
body, when deprived of protection by the removal of the ex- 
ternal membrane. The projecting particles visibly become 
more or less swollen, until suddenly the entire substance 
bursts asunder, in consequence of which the detached parti- 
cles are widely dispersed. The subjacent particles, being 
thus exposed to the action of the water, are in a similar manner 
disintegrated and dispersed, and so on until the whole animal 
is dissolved. ‘Thus we must suppose that in this case also 
water is continuously absorbed from without, and excreted 
towards the interior; but the normal channel for this no 
longer exists, owing to which the elementary particles of 
the substance of the tissue are at first distended as far as 
their elasticity will allow. When this limit is passed they 
burst asunder, whilst their now unfettered elastic force 
expels the water they contained, by which they are them- 
selves dissipated, and all the above described phenomena 
follow. The nucleus retains its form longer than the other 
parts of the organism, but is also finally disintegrated. Thus 
respiration may be said to exist even in this case, though to 
a less extent, in which respect it corresponds with what may 
be observed in the embryonic stage, as in the Acinete, for 
instance, in which the pulsating vesicle has a much slower 
rhythm than in the parent animal. 
