250 W. WALDEYER. 
that Weigert seems to me to be quite correct in the reasons 
which he brings forward in opposition to Frenzel with regard 
to this. 
But the whole question assumes another aspect, if we take 
into consideration the most recent efforts to find another 
elementary organism than the cell. There is no doubt that 
the cell and nucleus can no longer lay claim to the title 
* Hlementarorganismen.” I will not here inquire whether 
Béchamp-Estor and Altmann are in the right as to the 
‘‘granules” described by them, and whether we have to 
regard these as the true elementary organisms. I will only 
point to the very great importance which the “ microsomes ” 
(first so named by Hanstein (86), and recognised by Balbiani 
and Pfitzner in the chromatic threads) have acquired in karyo- 
kinesis. Van Beneden’s work affords abundant justification 
for such a view. Now, if it is true, as van Beneden repeatedly 
insists, that the granules of the nucleus are connected with 
the granules of the protoplasm by means of threads, and 
when the continuity of the constituents of nucleo-plasma and 
cell-plasma is supported by other workers, such as Leydig 
(126) and Stricker (196), in the most decided way, where is 
the possibility, with the knowledge at present at our command, 
of being able to decide such an important question as that 
about the carrier of the property of heredity? I readily 
acknowledge the claim of the proposed hypothesis, for good 
hypotheses help the matter: but we must not conceal from 
ourselves the difficulties which still remain, and so hinder the 
further progress which we have to strive after. | 
The theory of the hermaphroditism of the cell, and 
the significance of the directive corpuscles as out- 
cast male or female elements, has met with the greatest 
opposition. As far as I know, this theory was first put for- 
ward by Chas. 8. Minot; it was later on accepted by Balfour 
(10). 
Minot (138) holds the following view :—The egg extrudes, 
at a certain time of its existence, the directive corpuscles, 
accompanied by peculiar phenomena (formation of amphi- 
