588 



SCIENCE. 



plex amceba, I am very anxious to really make the dif- 

 ference between the cell theory and the bioplasson theory 

 clear to every one of you. The essential point of the cell 

 theory is, the idea that the body and each tissue of 

 the body, every plant, and every animal, is made up of 

 a number of distinct units, and the essential point of 

 the bioplasson theory is, the idea that all the masses of 

 living matter of each tissue of plants and animals are un- 

 interruptedly connected, and that every tissue is connected 

 with every other tissue by filaments of living matter. To 

 accept Mr. Huxley's comparison', we must imagine that 

 every soldier is indissolubly connected, hand and foot 

 with every neighboring soldier of the solid army ! 



There is no better test of the truth of the bioplasson 

 doctrine than the structure of hyaline cartilage. If hya- 

 line cartilage consisted, as " is generally believed," of " a 

 homogeneous ground substance, in which are closed 

 cavities harboring the corpuscles," 1 the bioplasson doc- 

 trine would certainly be erroneous. If it merely contained 

 lymph, or juice-channels, no matter what their character, 

 whether open or closed, whether lined or unlined, whether 

 in " homogeneous basis-substance,' or " between layers of 

 cells," or "in cement-substance," then, too, the bio- 

 plasson doctrine would be erroneous. 



But the result of my observations, especially those 

 illustrated in figs. 2, 3. and 4, admit of but one interpre- 

 tation, and that an interpretation favorable to the bio- 

 plasson doctrine. It is unnecessary to more than men- 

 tion that although I have placed on record so few, I have 

 made many different examinations, under many different 

 circumstances, and with varying powers of amplification. 

 I need occupy myself here with only the two fields 

 drawn in figs. 3 and 4, with an amplification of 600 and 

 1200 respectively. The remarkable specimens from 

 which they are taken show more conclusively than it was 

 ever before shown what the structure or constitution of 

 hyaline cartilage really IS. I think I have explained 

 this sufficiently, but its full significance appears in its cor- 

 roboration of the bioplasson doctrine. 



To be able to uphold the cell-doctrine, cartilage would 

 have to be, using a homely comparison, like a cake com- 

 posed of hard dough with raisins. No matter how 

 widely we may extend the definition, to remain within 

 the boundary of the cell-doctrine this metaphor must be 

 applicable. Innumerable painstaking researches have 

 led to various modifications of notions entertained re- 

 garding the structure of the two constituents of the cake 

 and their relation to each other. It may be seen by the 

 most recent publications on the subject, that the accep- 

 tation of the existence in the dough of cleavage in certain 

 directions, of interlaminary and interfibrillar spaces, 

 and of offshoots, even ramifying prolongations of the 

 raisin-substance, or, at all events, of an ingredient of 

 • the raisins, is held to be not incompatible with the cell- 

 doctrine. If, however, we can represent cartilage as a 

 filigree or framework of raisin-substance, in the meshes 

 or interspaces of which framework blocks of dough are 

 imbedded, certainly the fundamental view of the ultimate 

 construction of the tissue is changed, and we are no 

 longer in accord with the cell-doctrine, even though we 

 be inclined to use that term in the widest possible sense. 

 Look for a moment at the two illustrations on the black- 

 board, as well as at figs. 2, 3. and 4. The upper figure 

 represents a section of crrtilage stained with gold 

 chloride. This, as I have already alluded to, stains the 

 living matter and leaves the basis-substance unstained. 

 High powers exhibit the appearance, etc., etc. In re- 

 gard to a name as a substitute for the term " cell," I 

 would say that all corpuscular masses may be callrd, 

 simply, corpuscles — thus we may speak of blood-cor- 



1 This statement of the general helief is quoted from the introductory 

 paragraph of Thin's memoir "On the Structure of Hyaline Cartilajc 

 {Quarterly Journal 0/ Microscopical Science, xvi, 1876) in which Thin's 

 own views are 1 .id down to the effect " that layers of cell? epithelial in 

 arrangement exist in the suhstancc of caitilaKC,'' " that both the stellate 

 and the parallel systems of lymph-channels exist," etc. 



puscles, pus-corpuscles, etc. For all the accumulations 

 of living matter within the ordinary fields of basis-sub- 

 stance, but more especially for those smaller masses 

 which, having as yet developed nei'her a network struc- 

 ture nor much vacuolation, are still homogeneous, or 

 nearly so — I am quite willing to adopt either the designa- 

 tion of " plastids," proposed by Haeckel, or that of " bio- 

 plasts," proposed by Beale. Perhaps it would be well to 

 restrict the word "bioplast" to a small mass of living 

 matter exhibiting no differentiation, and distinguish from 

 it as " plastid " the larger mass showing an interior 

 structure more or less like the fully developed corpuscle. 

 Thus, I would always use the term " plastid " in the 

 place of " cell . " 



The result of my investigations as to the structure of 

 cartilage is that in this tissue, beyond the possibility of a 

 doubt, the living matter is arranged in the form of a net- 

 work containing in its meshes the non-contractile matter. 

 How is it with regard to the other proposition of the 

 bioplasson doctrine, viz., that the living matter of the 

 different tissues is interconnected ? Examinations with 

 high powers of such a specimen as that represented in 

 fig. i, showing the perichondrium, of horizontal sections 

 through the larynx, or the neck, with skin and more or 

 less of other tissues included, enable me to answer this 

 question to the effect that fine filaments of living matter 

 pass from one tissue to another in connection with the 

 network of living matter in each. The details of these ex- 

 aminations are_reserved for another time. ! But it has been 

 suggested to me that I ought not to conclude without say- 

 ing a few words as to the practical advantages of the Biop- 

 lasson Doctrine over the Cell-Doctrine. Well, every exact 

 scientific investigation, even though at first of theoretical 

 value only, sooner or later brings with it some practical 

 benefit-; and this doctrine of living matter, aside from 

 the satisfaction which the perception of abstract truth 

 grants - lying as it does at the foundation of our know- 

 ledge of living things — has advanced their physiology, 

 and pathology at every point ! In Practical Medicine 

 it has already aided us in so many ways that their merest 

 enumeration would require another hour's lecture. We 

 know that the disposition of living matter is different in 

 different persons, and that in the case of increased sup- 

 ply of food the reaction is different in strong and healthy 

 people from that in the sick and weak. Upon this 

 knowledge rests, to-day, the whole doctrine of pulmonary 

 consumption. Now, the amount of living matter within 

 the same bulk varies greatly, both in normal and morbid 

 conditions. A small lump of bioplasson in the urine or ex- 

 pectoration, taken from an individual of good constitution, 

 will show a close network with coarse granulations, or 

 perhaps be almost homogeneous-looking under the 

 microscope — owing to the large amount of living matter 

 in the small bulk : while a plastid from a weak, broken 

 down or phthisical person will be finely granular and ex- 

 hibit a network with large meshes on account of the 

 relatively small amount of living matter in it. Some- 

 times we thus from the examination of a drop of blood 

 gain an insight into the condition and vital power of the 

 whole individual ; sometimes, recognize a disease before 

 it is sufficiently developed to do much harm, and thus 

 come a step nearer to the highest aim of the physician : — 

 the prevention of disease. 



DISCUSSION. 



Dr. B. N. Martin remarked on the great value and im- 

 portant bearing of this investigation. 



Mr. A. C. Elliot enquired whether the blocks of non- 

 living matter in the cartilage were entirely separated. 



Dr. Elsberg explained that the blocks were separate, 

 their only connection being the interposed threads of the 

 reticulum of living matter, and to the former is due the 

 opalescent character of hyaline cartilage. He further stated 

 that the condition of health of an individual might be in- 

 ferred in a degree from a study of the character of the 



