190s) CURRENT LITERATURE 467 
ofthis group, a subject which is already overburdened with the results of much 
speculation rather than careful and accurate observation. 
FiscHER’s results on the microchemical detection of certain substances in 
the cell are far from convincing, since a comparison with the opposed results 
of other authors leads -rather to a realization of our needs of trustworthy micro- 
chemical tests for distinguishing certain carbohydrates and proteids than to 
FiscHER’s conclusions _It is not at all demonstrated that FiscHER is able even 
fo distinguish with certainty between a carbohydrate and a proteid substance, 
although he seems to be perfectly sure of his test. 
A new test is given for glycogen, which FIscHER designates as the “‘tannin- 
‘Safranin stain.” He regards glycogen as the first visible product of assimilation. 
This is produced in the Cyanophyceae in such large quantities that, although in 
some instances 75 per cent. of the cells of a filament may be using up this food- 
substance in active division, there is always left a surplus which is stored up in 
the “central body.” In large species, ¢. g., Oscillatoria princeps, the central 
Se nee nT OSS 
is large enough for the storage of a considerable amount of unchanged 
flycogen, which in the treated sections assumes the form of large granules and 
imegular masses. 
FIscHER’s test for glycogen in this instance may be called into serious question, 
since the majority of writers on this subject interpret these same bodies as of a 
Proteid nature and not carbohydrate. We are left in serious doubt, in fact, as 
‘0 whether FIscHER’s glycogen granules are to be referred to the albuminous 
“slime globules,” or to the “chromatin granules” of earlier authors, both of 
= bodies may be readily detected in the “central body” of the larger Oscilla- 
_ FiscHer concludes on the other hand, that in the smaller forms, the limited 
‘Wom for storage necessitates the condensation of the glycogen, hence it is here 
Snverted into another carbohydrate, “anabaenin,” which is stored up in the 
Entra body, either in the form of Zentralkérnern or as “pseudomitotic” loops. 
| The number of these twisted rods is in some instances apparently constant, ote 
e 
___ et, their similarity to chromosomes and their equal division between 
: ‘wo daughter cells arises, according to FiscHER, from the striving, not after an 
they exist ina finely divided state in the cytoplasm and a 
: tn of valuable material, but only the distribution of “‘listigen 
Ballast” 
_ The author thinks that it is probable that this “carbohydrate mitosis” oan 
‘be the forerunner of the nuclear mitoses of such low forms. At first it is merely 
e aast-divider; but later, nuclein might be deposited, and then the central 
body Would assume the true nuclear character. But FiscHER denies emphati- 
vd that the central body as it is at present is a nucleus; nevertheless he would 
“gree that nuclein-like substances also occur in the Cynophyceae, but holds that 
re not yet formed in 
ey es. He thus returns to the old, much-exploited view of the scattered 
“ distributed nucleus. Such scattered nuclein bodies he fails to show, however, 
- m*ny of his figures.—Epcar W. OLIVE. 
