No. 3-] BLOOD-PLATES OF THE HUMAN BLOOD. 643 



red blood-corpuscles. The cytoplasmic envelops or spheres 

 close up around the centrosomes thus giving the plasmocyte 

 a regular form. Plasmocytes, then, are corpuscles consisting 

 of the original centrosomes surrounded by several cytoplasmic 

 spheres, but not possessing a nucleus. They are the surviv- 

 ing elements of a nucleated erythrocyte, the nucleus and some 

 other parts having disintegrated. The life-history of a plas- 

 mocyte can be followed without any difficulty in the blood of 

 Batrachoseps, where they are of large size. The blood-plates 

 of the human blood, though very much smaller than the plas- 

 mocytes of Batrachoseps, possess the same general structure as 

 the latter, and must on this account also possess a similar origin. 

 Within the last few months this plasmocyte theory has been criti- 

 cised by Dr. E. Giglio-Tos, who contends that the plasmocytes 

 described by me are nothing but altered fusiform corpuscles, 

 and that the granospheres are nothing but disintegrating nuclei. 

 I have no intention of entering into any controversy with 

 Dr. Giglio-Tos upon the merits of his theory, as his criticism 

 is based exclusively upon theoretical knowledge and not upon 

 the study of the blood of Batrachoseps. An examination of 

 properly prepared material would soon dispel any doubts as to 

 the origin of the plasmocytes, as whole and unbroken series 

 between plasmocytoblasts and plasmocytes are seen on almost 

 every slide, whereas absolutely no connecting links or inter- 

 mediate stages are found between fusiform corpuscles and 

 plasmocytes ; neither are any to be seen between disintegrat- 

 ing nuclei and plasmocytes ; nor can any possible process of 

 disintegration account for the constant and complicated struc- 

 ture of the plasmocytes. Dr. Giglio-Tos offers his criticism as 

 an "omaggio alia verita scientifica." Would not science have 

 been more honored if the critic, before publishing his conclu- 

 sions, had actually viewed some plasmocytic blood ; I should 

 certainly have offered him every facility to do so.^ 



1 Since the above was written, in November, 1897, I liave had the pleasure of 

 communicating with Dr. E. Giglio-Tos. After having studied slides of the blood 

 of Batrachoseps, as well as the blood of living specimens sent him by me. Dr. 

 Giglio-Tos has changed his views as regards the identity of the plasmocytes with 

 the fusiform corpuscles, or, as he most appropriately calls them, the trombocytes. 

 In private letters to me Dr. Giglio-Tos has acknowledged his error in this respect. 



