CHROMIDIA AND NUCLEI OF A PROTOZOON 219 



ming's " omnis nucleus a nucleo " in even the most recent 

 works on cytology, that the well-known fact just stated has 

 not been duly digested in biology. One effect of this is 

 seen in the otherwise unaccountable grouping of Karyoryctes 

 cytoryctoides with Nucleophaga amoebae as related in 

 Chapter X. 



The confusion just indicated is to be explained only 

 by want of recognition in biology of the plasson state of 

 living matter as seen in the zygotic sporange of Synchytrium, 

 Fig. 23, d and e, and in pathogenic organisms such as are 

 shown in Fig. 29, and Fig. 54, 1 to 4, &c. 



That Borrel did not realise that the appearance of new 

 nuclei in Cytoryctes variolae, Fig. 48, 2, proves this body to 

 be a parasite can only be accounted for by the inadequacy 

 of the cell-theory as at present accepted. 



The streaming protoplasm of Plassomyxa contagiosa has 

 no recognisable structure, but new nuclei are occasionally 

 formed in molluscum bodies, as they are in the parasites of 

 syphilis and of cancer. 



All these instances are exceptions to the " omnis nucleus 

 a nucleo," and herein we may see the explanation of the fact 

 that smallpox and other fevers, cancer and other tumours 

 are academic enigmas to-day. 



If the cell-theory is adjusted to amply proven facts it 

 must read : New nuclei arise not only by division of pre- 

 existing nuclei, but also by free nucleus-formation from 

 chromidia or from plasson. 



