44 



LECTURE IV. 



Process of Investigation — Microscopic Characters of 

 Bioplasm — Mode of Growth of Bioplasm of a simple 

 Vegetable Tissue — Sugar Fungus — Bioplasm of 

 Animal Tissue — Extremity of Tuft of Placenta — 

 Bioplasm, of Hair — Bioplasm of Amoeba — Bioplasm 

 of Mucus — Movement of Bioplasm — Irritability and 

 Contractility — " Molecular Machinery " — Bioplasm 

 constituting new Centres, or Nuclei and Nucleoli — 

 Production of Formed Material — Structure of a 

 Spore of Mildew — Gh'owth—How is the new Matter 

 added ? — Importance of the Changes. 



68. Process of InTcstigation. — In order to dis- 

 tinguish the invariably transparent living matter or 

 hioplasm from the frequently transparent formed 

 material, it is necessary to pursue a particular method 

 of investigation, which I have fully described else- 

 where.* The value of this process depends upon the 

 fact that all bioplasm is coloured red by an ammoniacal 

 solution of carmine, tvhile all formed material, not- 

 tvithstanding it has been traversed by the alkaline 

 coloured fluid, remains perfectly colourless. In prac- 

 tice, certain precautions are necessary, and the density 

 and composition of the colouring fluid must be 

 slightly varied in special cases. But it is necessary 

 that I should state distinctly that, if the process be 

 properly conducted, every hind of livifig or germinal 

 matter or bioplasm receives and fixes the colour, while 

 no hind of formed material hnoicn is stained under the 

 same circumstances. I shall have to direct attention 



* " How to Work with the Microscope." 4th edition. 



