102 PROTOPLASM THEORY AFTER 1860. 



("Die Elementar Organismen"). Likewise Max Schultze, 

 in 1854, and Kuhue, in 1864, showed the existence of 

 organisms without nucleus. Lockhart Clarke, in 1863,* 

 describes the formation of muscular fibre in much the 

 same way as Beale, the so-called nucleus being the 

 protoplasm itself. 



" The nuclei concerned in the development of muscular fibres 

 have no envelope, or cell wall, in the proper sense of the word, 

 and these bodies are not entitled to be considered as nucleated 

 cells." ..." However, there is little doubt that the muscular 

 substance is the result of some process carried on by the nuclei 

 themselves." .... The striated fibre, "instead of being the 

 product of a nucleated cell, would appear to be itself a kind of 

 conformation, which at first finds its prototype in the organic 

 muscular fibre cell, and in which the investing sarcous sub- 

 stance represents the cell wall" 



It is unnecessary to multiply examples of non- 

 nucleated organisms, as the fact of their existence is 

 now quite established ; and with respect to the position 

 of the nucleus question in the higher orders of living 

 beings, Strieker, in 1870, sums up the then existing 

 opinions by stating that its use is unknown, but that 

 it cannot be essential, because although when present 

 it divides on division of the cell, still other cells with- 

 out any nucleus can live, divide, and propagate, so 

 " we must exclude the nucleus as an unnecessary factor 

 in the ideal type of an elementary organism" (Hand- 

 Book, Syd. Bee.). Again, J. Ranke, in 1872, says 

 " The nucleus arises out of the protoplasm, and always 

 lies embedded in it, and may become re-dissolved into 

 protoplasm ; it contains essentially the same chemical 

 * " Qu. Microsc. J.," p. 8. 



