And of Cell Life 49 



Explanation of Plates 

 PLATE 1 



As bacteria are said to hold the balance of life in the earth, and 

 that life a representative of definite accumulations of motions 

 carrying matter, we must understand the meaning of the different 

 ways in which bacteria cells group together as indivisible numbers, 

 in their multiplication as forms of cell growths. 



The bacteriologist has studied the 'phenomen!a attending the 

 growth of bacteria from a pathological standpoint alone. The 

 significance of the numbers forming groups has been noted only 

 as a means of identification of species. 



The meaning of their increase by " fission " is a mystery, that 

 form of reproduction inexplicable. The bacteriologist says bacteria 

 increase by fission but they " reproduce their kind by sporulation." 

 This is a distinction without a difference, because, in the case of 

 sporulation, the non-formation of spores is dependent upon the 

 elimination of waste products. Novy says, " As long as the organ- 

 ism is growing under the best possible conditions it will not give 

 rise to spores." 



Involution forms and spore formation are dependent upon the 

 reflex action of the products generated by the activity of the cells. 

 The spores are the individual or negatively separated " groups " 

 while involution forms are the collective or positively connected 

 " groups " making up an unlike form from that to which they owe 

 their being. 



Bacteria cells can only be understood in their manner of group- 

 ing by investigating their accumulation as spherical cells or micro- 

 cocci. The spherical cells group in numbers as individual, paired 

 groups of 4, of 8, and squares of thos€ numbers. They form 

 chains containing the same numbers. Some of the chains are 

 straight lines while others are serpentine. They also form as 

 " grape-like " bunching. Figure (i) displays these specimens. The 

 horizontal and the vertical, as well as the oblique lines of force are 

 evident in their groupings. 



The " slimy substance " which holds the cells together is as 

 much a part of the body of the group as are the cells which com- 

 pose it. It is their " skin," because external conditions in any living 

 form is the product of a condition in condensation representing 

 primal accumulation of chemical combinations, and the skin is 

 only perfected when it becomes a " breathing cell," as a * lung." 

 The breathing apparatus of bacteria cells is hidden in the production 

 of the one-walled water-cell, and that is why bacteria constructs 

 solids from liquids, and reduces solids to liquids. Of course they 



