The Whole Organism a Great Protoplasnvic Plexus 41 
one another, but also the nervous system itself with all 
its fibers and fibrils in so far as it is developed. This 
leads to the conclusion that in the adult organism the 
ordinary nervous currents passing along the various 
nerves as a result of ordinary nervous discharges con- 
stitute only momentary intensifications of permanent 
nervous currents which pass continually through these 
nerves. 
The great frequency with which conductors of nuclear 
stimuli in general and intercellular bridges in particular, 
are found in both animal and vegetable kingdoms, is 
as we have said, even by itself a very strong support for 
the hypothesis proposed by us of a nervous circulation 
or distribution throughout the whole organism. 
In this hypothesis we approach, even though only in 
certain respects, the most recent theories of some botan- 
ists and physiologists who in consideration of this 
striking general protoplasmic connection between the 
different cells, regard the multicellular organism not as a 
mere assembly or colony of cells, but rather as a single 
voluminous protoplasmic body in which the nuclei are 
inserted at different intervals as centers or foci of 
energy, (synergids of Sachs), and in which the mem- 
branes and other intermediate structures have produced 
only incomplete divisions and serve merely as supports 
of the organism. For example, according to Sedgewick 
the body of the adult animal would be only an immense 
syncytium whose nuclei or centers of force are dispersed 
throughout a single protoplasmic network binding 
together the whole organism.** 
We approach especially the conception which Oscar 
18Adam Sedgwick: The Development of the Cape Species of 
Peripatus. P. 205—206. 
