24 
ACTIVE ALBUMEN 
into larger globules and droplets, losing thereby their original 
motions {Brown's so-called molecular motions?). As regards 
most of the objects these droplets are situated in the vacuole, in 
some however in the cytoplasm as well. All kinds of Spirogyra , 
an alga of common occurrence, are for these observations es¬ 
pecially well adapted ; they remain for some time—even for a 
series of days—alive in the solutions mentioned. If the objects, 
in which the droplets have been produced, are taken from these 
solutions and replaced in pure water, the droplets will gradually 
disappear again in proportion as the bases mentioned leave the 
cells by osmosis. The cells continue thereby their life as before 
the treatment. This dissolving process is quickened at higher 
temperatures, at 30°C. it requires but a few minutes. Replace¬ 
ment of the objects in the solutions of these bases makes the 
droplets reappear. If however the cells die by the prolonged 
influence of coffeïn or antipyrin, or if they are killed by dilute 
acids or by poisons like formic aldehyde, hydroxylamin, or salts 
of copper, etc., or by vapors of ether, then these droplets also 
change their properties, soon after the death of the cells. Hereby 
the close chemical resemblance of matter in the protoplasm and in 
the droplets becomes manifest. The droplets become turbid from 
numerous and minute vacuoles, formed by a sudden loss of ab¬ 
sorbed water, and, in coagulating, lose their solubility. 1 ) In some 
cases the small vacuoles unite into one large one, a hollow sphere 
thus resulting, in other cases the spherical form is lost entirely, 
leaving an irregular shaped mass. In some objects the vacuoles 
disappear again by further contraction, and the globules again 
turn transparent ; the insolubility however remains. This turn¬ 
ing from the soluble into the insoluble state is a decisive proof of 
a chemical-change .— 
It is of special interest to observe under the microscope the 
change brought on by the action of a 0,2-0,5 per cent solution of 
acetic or sulphuric acid or by a diluted alcohol of 10-20 per cent. 1 2) 
1) It is of rare occurrence, for the droplets to lose their solubility, before the 
death of the cells is observed in the above named solution of coffeïn or antipyrin. 
2) If instead of diluted alcohol absolute alcohol is employed, the coffeïn is so 
rapidly extracted that the smaller globules dissolve before they are coagulated, while 
the larger ones shrink to irregular shaped thin films. Here the exosmose of coffeïn 
proceeds quicker, than the endosmose of a sufficient quantity of alcohol. All the 
experiments mentioned are best made with the larger globules ; the changes cannot 
be well observed if the globules are too minute.— 
