ELEMENTARY FIBRES AND GLOBULES. 53 



vations (with but indifferent instruments) in the full 

 glare of the sun caused a certain amount of dispersion 

 of light in nearly all microscopical objects, and the 

 impression communicated to the observer was, that he 

 saw nothing else than globules. On the other hand, 

 however, this view corresponded with the ideas common 

 amongst natural philosophers as to the primary origin 

 of everything endowed with form. 



These globules (granules, molecules) have, curiously 

 enough, maintained their ground, even in modern histo- 

 logy, and there are but few histological works which do 

 not begin with the consideration of elementary granules. 

 In a few instances, these views as to the globular nature 

 of elementary parts have, even not very long ago, ac- 

 quired such ascendancy, that the composition, 

 both of the primary tissues in the embryo and A 

 also of the later ones, was based upon them. A j 

 cell was considered to be produced by the 

 globules arranging themselves in a spherical 

 form, so as to constitute a membrane, within 

 which other globules remained, and formed the contents. 

 In this way did even Baumgartner and Arnold contend 

 against the cell theory. 



This view has, in a certain manner, found support 

 even in the history of development in the so-called 

 investment-theory (Umhullungstheorie) a doctrine which 

 for a time occupied a very promi- 

 nent position. The upholders of FIG. 13. 

 this theory imagined, that origi- oo o 

 nally a number of elementary So 

 globules existed scattered through 



Fig. 12. Diagram of the globular theory, a. Fibre composed of elementary 

 granules (molecular granules) drawn up in a line. b. Cell with nucleus and spheri- 

 cally arranged granules. 



Fig. 13. Diagram of the investment- (cluster-) theory, a. Separate elementary 



