84* BEALE'S PKOTOPLASMIG THEORY. 



On the protoplasmic theory such a process is impos- 

 sible. The immediate means is simply a kind of re- 

 versal of the essential function of the protoplasm, viz.,, 

 consumption and renewal of itself from pabulum. In 

 the case of one of the simplest forms of life, viz., the 

 spore of mildew, the formed material may accumulate 

 in the form of a thick membrane while the protoplasm 

 wastes to a mere speck which retains its vitality- in a 

 dormant state until 



"External conditions become again favourable, when the 

 trace of living germinal matter soon increases, spreads through 

 the thickened membrane, much of which it even consumes as 

 pabulum, and the rapid growth already referred to is resumed. 

 This rapid increase of germinal matter under favourable con- 

 ditions is a fact of the greatest interest and importance in 

 reference to certain changes occurring in disease of the higher 

 tissues of plants, animals, and man. For we shall find that 

 just as the germinal matter of the fungus may grow and live 

 and produce new germinal matter at the expense of the formed 

 material already formed, so the germinal matter of a cell of the 

 highest organism may increase and consume its formed ma- 

 terial. In this way we shall see that firm and scarcely 

 changing tissue may become the seat of active change and 

 ultimately be removed. Thus is the fatty matter of adipose 

 tissue removed, and the hard compact tissue of bone scooped 

 out to make room for new osseous texture. In this way the 

 abscess and ulcer commence, and the ' softening ' of cartilage 

 and other hard textures is brought about. The pathological 

 process known as 'inflammation 7 is due to the increase of 

 germinal matter. In certain forms of cancer the process is 

 seen in its most active, and to us most painful, form ; for as the 

 growth proceeds, not only is the formed material of adjacent 

 textures rapidly consumed, but no sooner has the soft cancer 

 texture been produced than it in its turn is consumed by new 

 cancer-tissue, and this by more, until an enormous mass of soft, 



