116 THE CELL DOCTRINE. 



be said that in the nucleus alone resides the power to 

 reproduce the cell, since we find the nucleus not 

 essential, but that in the germinal matter, of which 

 after all, the nucleus, when present, is but a part, 

 resides this function. 



6th. That when the smaller body within the nu- 

 cleus, usually known as the " nucleolus," is present, 

 as it often is in complete cells, it is simply a younger 

 centre of germinal matter than is the nucleus itself, 

 and is the last formed portion of germinal matter, 

 instead of being the oldest part of the cell, as orig- 

 inally taught by Schleiden and Schwaun. And 

 thus, according to the latest views, the whole process 

 is reversed. The old order of succession being, 1st. 

 The "nucleolus;" 2d. About this the "nucleus;" 

 and finally about this the "cell wall," which em- 

 braces the cell contents. Now, however, what con- 

 stitutes the "cell wall" when present, is the oldest 

 part of the cell; next in age are the so-called "cell 

 contents," whether germinal matter or not; next the 

 "nucleus," and last and youngest the "nucleolus." 



7th. That the formed material constituting the 

 cell wall and intercellular substance may be some- 

 thing chemically different from the germinal matter, 

 or protoplasm whence it was converted, as the secre- 

 tions of gland-cells, or may be a simple condensation 

 of the exterior of the cell, as in the red blood disc. 



8th. That the so-called " free nuclei," so often re- 

 ferred to by pathologists in their descriptions of mi- 

 nute structures, are simply masses of germinal matter, 

 smaller than those to which the name cell is usually 

 given, which, if time be permitted, will pass into 



