BIOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF ADSORPTipN l6l 



but their significance is still doubtful. They have been demon- 

 strated by Guilliermond and Moreau [15, 19] to be secreted by 

 mitochondria, and, in that respect, it is to be noted that in the 

 Sulfuro-bacteriacea such as Thiothrix sp., free sulfur, in the form 

 of intra-cellular globules, deposits only in contact of or inside 

 of metachromatic granules. 



, Other substances, such as oxalate of potassium, were often 

 found in cells the content of which had degenerated into a baso- 

 philous substance, and the relations of basophilous biccolloids to 

 salts in the cell, demand further investigation. That it may be of 

 biological interest appears from the fact that, while nucleo-chroma- 

 tine is acidophilous in healthy cells, it shows marked basophily in 

 tumour cells of Pines. [8] 



This change may result from an altered proportion between 

 base-adsorbent and acid-adsorbent nucleo compounds, or it may be 

 that bases becoming deficient, the base-requirement of the acid 

 nucleo-compounds is no more satisfied. 



2. — Struggle for Bases from Host to Parasite. 



Marked basophily is often observed in diseased tissues, due to 

 development of much pectic material. [6] 



Basophily is conspicuous in the wood of trees, where it is infected 

 by mistletoe. Which wood was found by Councler to be deficient 

 in Ca, but to be rich in PO4H3 and K^O. Basophilous degeneres- 

 cence may offer to the parasitized tissue a way to oppose the 

 migration of bases from host to parasite. 



3. — Iron Deposing Bacteria. 



Adsorption again plays an important role in the depositing of 

 iron ore by "iron bacteria." 



The phenomena is easily studied in the hottest thermal springs 

 of Bareges (t° = 42*'.8 cent.) where Ferro-coccus were observed at 

 various stages of development. 



At first they are free, isolated or actively-dividing, highly re- 

 fringent and thin-walled globules, imbedded in a basophilous 

 zooglae. Later on, they crowd as Staphylo-cocats, their walls 

 thicken and become impregnated with Iron, (easily precipitated 

 blue by Hydrochloric ferrocyanide or red by Sulfocyanide of 

 Potassium.) 



The older Staphyloccus ultimately form a thin rusty crust, of 



