148 THE CELL DOCTRINE. 



tration of fat from the blood, superadded to the pro- 

 toplasm or cell-contents, pushing the latter with the 

 nucleus to one side, without substituting it or being 

 derived directly from it as is alleged by Beale. 



In -pathological formations all the different forms of 

 cells here alluded to are met with, and there is now 

 no special type of cell which is known by its shape 

 to have a pathological impression. It is rather by 

 the rapidity of growth of cells, their arrangement 

 and relation to the intercellular substance, as well as 

 peculiarities in the latter substance itself, that we 

 know a structure to be a pathological formation. 

 The " cancer-cell," which was so long an object of 

 wonder and fear, and eagerly sought for as such, is 

 no longer acknowledged to be anything peculiar as 

 to form. At the same time, when cells from a sus- 

 pected growth are observed to be very large, to con- 

 tain numerous nuclei or centres of bioplasm, and to. 

 exhibit great variety in shape, we have evidences of 

 that rapidity of growth which is more or less char- 

 acteristic of malignant formations. 



The Size of Cells. — This is likewise extremely vari- 

 ous. They may be particles of such extreme minute- 

 ness as to be recognized as mere dots by the highest 

 powers of the microscope, the smallest particles of 

 germinal matter measured by Dr. Beale being less 

 than the T^^j'oTfg of an inch (.000024 mm.) in diame- 

 ter, while the largest epithelial scales are j^g of an 

 inch (.1 mm.) in diameter, and the cells of morbid 

 growths often reach the ^^^ of an inch (.127 mm.). 

 The human ovum, which may be regarded as a typi- 

 cal cell, with nucleus, nucleolus, and contents, varies 



