72 MAN, THE ANIMAL 



cells are inactive except in the sense that they may 

 be growing into mature germ cells to take the 

 place of those that were set free at the last period 

 of activity. Encased within special organs such 

 as the ovaries or spermaries (testes), these cells 

 are nourished and protected by the rest of the or- 

 ganism. It has frequently been suggested that 

 the germ cells are in a real sense parasitic upon 

 the body as they do not help to keep the body 

 machinery running but help only to form a new 

 individual. Such a statement assists one in visual- 

 izing their dependency upon the other parts of the 

 body. 



There is still another fundamental relationship 

 that it is desirable to keep in mind, and that is the 

 obvious simplicity of structural relationship be- 

 tween the several germ cells themselves in each 

 ovary and spermary. In these organs, each germ 

 cell persists as an individual and never unites with 

 any other similar cell. There may be 2, 4, 100, 

 1000 germ cells in one of these structures, but each 

 one is distinct and living as a unit. This is, then, 

 in complete contrast to all of the other cells of the 

 body. The result is that the germ cells remain 

 simple and primitive. As they do not participate 

 In the bodily activities, it is difficult to conceive 

 how they may become influenced by what the body 

 does. 



One must think, then, of numerous germ cells, 



