THE CELL DOCTRINE. 83 



cell, but the germinal matter is always the portion 

 in which it originates. 



There is not generally a symmetrical division of 

 the nucleus into two, and these into four, as is so 

 often described, and as is often seen in the vegetable 

 cell, but there is rather a budding, and subsequent 

 dropping off* of the portions of germinal matter 

 which is to produce the new cell, and which almost 

 always assumes the spherical form when allowed to 

 float freely. (See Figure 10 of Plate.) The formed 

 material is never active, but entirely passive in the 

 process of cell multiplication. 



Nutrition of Cells. So, too, in the nutrition of the 

 cell, the germinal matter is the sole active agent. 

 The formed material may act as a filter to the nu- 

 trient matter, but is quite passive. The pabulum, 

 which is coursing through the bloodvessels, becomes 

 converted into germinal matter, which in turn be- 

 comes formed material, and so long as this is kept 

 up, the cell continues to grow. The course taken by 

 the pabulum, and the order of conversion, is shown 

 by the arrows, in Figure 17, of Plate, and will be 

 readily understood by reference to the explanation. 

 Occasionally, and especially, in disease, the formed 

 material may become the pabulum for rapidly mul- 

 tiplying cells, and thus be consumed. 



Intercellular substance has already been spoken of 

 as formed material. We have it most strikingly pres- 

 ent in the white fibrous tissue, or tissue of tendons, 

 and in hyaline cartilage. If the former be stained 

 by carmine, and examined in thin section under the 

 microscope, it will be found composed of beautiful 



