66 DYNAMICS OF LIVING MATTER 



In my earlier experiments on artificial parthenogenesis, I frequently 

 had opportunity to observe cell divisions of a character which made 

 it clear that phenomena of streaming underlie cell division, at least, 

 in these cases. Figures 10-13 give an illustration of such a case. The 

 egg had been treated with hypertonic sea water, and when put back 



Q? y? cp 00 



Fig. 10. FIG. II. Fig. 12. Fig. 13. 



into normal sea water divided as represented in these drawings. The 

 division began (as was frequently the case) on one side (Fig. 10), and 

 the protoplasm then flowed in the direction of the two arrows (Fig. 11) 

 in opposite directions toward the two nuclei. The connecting piece 

 becomes empty of protoplasm and only the pigmented solid surface 

 film is left (Fig. 12), and finally this also disappears (Fig. 13). It is, 

 however, possible that contractile forces acting in a radial direction 

 in an astrosphere might bring about similar results. 



The process of the cell division proper seems to consist also of 

 several phases. A reduction of volume seems to occur in this process, 

 inasmuch as the combined volume of the two daughter cells appears 

 immediately after the division, smaller than the volume of the mother 

 cell. This diminution of volume may be due to a loss of water, or 

 watery liquid, on the part of the cell. There may also be a process of 

 gelation on the part of certain constituents of the cell, e.g. the nucleus, 

 which at this stage appears to form a solid mass, or possesses at its 

 surface a solid wall. 



4. The Origin of Radiant Energy in Living Organisms 



The first investigation of animal phosphorescence that was of any 

 consequence goes back to Faraday, who showed that the phosphores- 

 cent part of a glowworm continues to send out light if it be made into 

 a pulp. This observation speaks against the view of KoUiker and 

 Pfliiger that the phosphorescence of animals is a function of "living" 

 matter, and even, in certain cases, under the control of the nervous 

 system. They were led to their view by the observation that "stimu- 

 lation" could call forth the process of phosphorescence, while poisons 

 and high temperatures caused it to disappear. From this Pfliiger* 



* Pfliiger' s Archiv, Vol. 10, p. 251, 1875. 



