134 Prof. Moore, Dr. Koaf, and Mr. Whitley. [Oct. 9, 



fig. 29. The entire chromatin of the cell is seen to be arranged in two groups 

 of circles at a distance apart corresponding to the usual distance of the 

 centrosomes of a spindle, and in some cases, as in fig. 29, the remains of 

 achromatic fibres are indistinctly seen between the two groups of circles. 

 The cytoplasm surrounding each group of circles is distinctly lighter and 

 freer from granules than the rest of the cytoplasm. In structure each circle 

 consists of a thin ring of chromatin showing distinct thickenings, about four 

 in number, arranged approximately about equidistant around the circum- 

 ference. The interior of the circle is clear, and both the outer and inner 

 border are clearly marked. In some cases this arrangement of the chromatin 

 in circles is also seen where there is only one group of circles as in 

 fig. 30. 



Discussion of Results and Summary. 



Our attention was attracted to the study of the effects of small variations 

 in reaction upon the growth of cells from the bio-chemical point of view, 

 as a result of the observation that in malignant disease no hydrochloric acid 

 is in general secreted by the gastric glands, no matter where the malignant; 

 growth is situated, which pointed to an increased alkalinity of the plasma. 



In the course of our investigations upon the rate of growth of the cell, 

 when microscopic examination was made of the cells in the fresh condition, 

 we were struck by the marked irregularities in size and shape of the developing 

 cells in the alkaline media illustrated in fig. 18, which is drawn from cells 

 in the fresh solution developing in sea-water, to which di-sodium phosphate 

 has been added, and also by the marked tendencies to nuclear proliferation. 



This led us secondarily to a cytological investigation of the cells when fixed 

 and stained to show nuclear division, as a result of which we have found the 

 irregular forms of mitosis described in the text. These atypical divisions, 

 which have been produced by variations in the medium similar to those 

 which occur in the blood in cases of malignant disease, closely resemble the 

 pathological divisions seen in the growths of malignant disease. 



The results of our experiments and their relationship to the processes 

 in malignant growths may be summarised as follows : — 



1. In nearly all cases of malignant disease the secretion of hydrochloric 

 acid by the gastric glands is stopped or greatly reduced, and this effect is not 

 due to local conditions in the stomach, since it occurs wherever the growth 

 is situated ; but is due to a change in the distribution of salts in the plasma 

 whereby the alkalinity is increased or the concentration in hydrogen ions 

 diminished. 



2. Addition of small amounts of alkalies or alkaline salts, such as 

 di-sodium phosphate, to the medium in which cells are growing and dividing, 



