Induced Cell- Reproduction 

 and Cancer 



CHAPTER I 



THE SCOPE OF THE NEW METHOD 



THE study of the individual living human cell and of 

 the effects of chemical reagents upon it marks what 

 may almost be regarded as a new scientific departure. 

 Although much has been written concerning the 

 passage of substances into cells, mainly the outcome 

 of experiments not made actually upon the individual 

 cells themselves, and certainly not while they w^ere alive, 

 little practical work has been done with reference to 

 the behaviour of individual cells while substances are 

 being made to pass into them. This has been owing 

 to the lack of satisfactory methods, and because the 

 laws which govern the diffusion of substances into the 

 individual living cells have not been recognised. These 

 laws are of the greatest importance, and must be 

 thoroughly understood if in-vitro experimentation is 

 to prove serviceable or successful, and later on a 

 section will be devoted to this subject. In the mean- 

 time the elemental fact must be simply stated that 

 living cells are examined by placing them, under a 

 cover-glass, on to the surface of a film of jelly, which 

 may contain dissolved in it any substance we may wish 



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