4 PROTOPLASM 



peculiar properties and activities of this substance. Accord- 

 ^ing to my conception the structure of protoplasm corre- 

 sponded to that of the minutest microscopic foams, with the 

 difference that the alveoli of ordinary foams contain air, 

 while protoplasmic foams contain a watery fluid. If such 

 microscopic foams were successfully manufactured, ought 

 they not to show certain peculiarities of protoplasm, and 

 could not an accurate study of them furnish an essential 

 contribution towards confirming or correcting my view ? 

 This question forced itself upon me more and more strongly. 

 Whether the results obtained in this direction might or 

 might not be favourable to my view, it was to be hoped in 

 any case that they would contribute to the clearing up of 

 the protoplasm question. 



