4 8 PROTOPLASM. 



invariably result from post-mortem changes in any germinal 

 matter, have often been mistaken for nuclei and nucleoli, 

 but these terms if employed at all should be restricted to 

 the minute masses of germinal matter referred to. 



THE CELL, OR ELEMENTARY PART. 



The living matter, with the formed matter upon its 

 surface, whatever may be the structure, properties, and 

 consistence of the latter, is the anatomical unit, the elementary 

 part or cell. This may form the entire organism, in which 

 case, it must be regarded as a complete individual. Millions 

 of such elementary parts or cells are combined to form 

 every tissue and organ of man and the higher animals. 

 However much organisms and tissues in their fully formed 

 state may vary as regards the character, properties, and com- 

 position of the formed material, all were first in the condi- 

 tion of clear, transparent, structureless, formless living matter. 



Every growing cell, and every cell capable of growth, 

 contains germinal matter. The young cell seems to consist 

 almost entirely of this living material a fact well observed 

 in a specimen of cuticle from the young frog, which may 

 be contrasted with more advanced cuticle from the same 

 animal. In the mature cells only a small mass of germinal 

 matter (usually termed the nucleus) remains. 



In the fully formed fat cell there is so little germinal 

 matter left, that it may be easily be overlooked. In disease, 

 on the other hand, the germinal matter may increase to three 

 or four times its ordinary amount, when it becomes a 

 very striking object. The ovum at an early period of its 



