The San Francisco call., 1896-05-31
SAN FRANCISCO
SCIENTIST.
1t Will RevOIutiOniZe All
Modern thought and
Study.
Greatest Advance in the Field OF
Physiology for the Last
Fifteen Years.

On this page, in the following col
umuS, THE CALL presents to the world
its first inkIing of scientific discovery
which will undoubtedly revOlutionize
all scientific thought and methods of
research.
DR.. Gustav Eisen, an eminent MEM
Der of the California Academy of Sci
ences and one of the t-known micro
scopists in the world, has discovered,
after many months of patient toll, that
the centrosome of animal cells is a
living organism.
Slowly but surely the secrets of nature
are being revealed by science. Men are at
work in all parts of the world searching
with the microscope for the least bit of
fact that will guide the way to something
else. Most of the great discoveries in BIZ
oIogy have been made in Germany and
France, but the last, and possibly the most
important, has just been made here in San
Francisco by DR.. Gustav Eisen of the Cali
fornia Academy of Sciences. The import
ance of the discovery will not be apparent
to the average person without an explana-
ton, but before proceeding it might be as
we'll to state that it is the most important
last fifteen years. 1t has a direct bearing
on the cell theory of biology, although the
experiments have been made with blood
corpuscles.
There was a time when our ancestors
looked upon blood as a fluid akin to red
ink. They knew of course that it was i'm
portant to life. but had no idea of what it
was composed. About the year 1861 the
hloOd o0rnneolaS xvara bxy
Swannerdam, and for more than a nun
dred years the idea prevailed that they
were solid particles like aniline dye in a
cry state. The discovery of the white
corpuscles in 1770 somewhat upset this
idea, but it was not until about fifty years
ago that the real nature of the blood began
to be understood. Improved microscopes
and methods of staining revealed the fact
that each corpuscle was perfect cell,
with its different parts as cleanly divided
as the shell, white and yelk of an ordinary
birds egg.
AS the years went by the discovery of
the cell grew in importance, and it soon
became known that all animal substance
was composition of myriads of cells. 1t
was found that all cells, whether of nerve,
brain or blood, were substantially the
same. All had the outer covering corre-
spending to the eggshell, and within this
a substance that was named the cyto-
plasm. Within the cytopiasm, like the
yelk of an egg, was found small sub
stance called the nucleus. After this vas
found nothing new turned up until about
fifteen years ago, when the centrosome
was discovered. This was a small speck
of matter that adhered to the nucleus.
Later investigation showed it to be sur
rounded by a substance that was called the
archoplasm. From this a series OF rays
were found that ran off In all directions
through the cytoplasm.
Since the discovery of the centrosome a
great deal has been found out about its ac-
ton. 1t was found that in some unknown
way the centrosome divided itself and be-
came two. One remained in its original
place and the other passed around to the
opposite side of the nucleus. In time the
centrosomes, by the aid of the rays, &C.
complished the division of the nucleus
after which the balance of the cell also di-
vided and eventually formed two distinct
cells, ready to repeat the process ad infini
tum.
All the diagrams of cells that have here
tofore been made have been some from
figure 1 in the accompanying group o.
cuts.
The centrosome was thought to bs
an organ of each cell, but DR.. Eisen has
shown it to be a distinct organism
capable Of individual action and sur
viVing in the blood serum long after
the rest of the cell has perished.
In making his experiments DR.. EiseI
used the blood of the Batrachiseps attenu
atus, or water dog, as that reptiles rec
corpuscles are about 500 times the bulk o
those of a human being. He made 4
number of slides and at first thought thu
blood must have been filled with parasites
Gradually the facts dawned on him anc
after several months work he is at las
able to say that he has found something
new The set of microscopic slides tina
he has show numerous phases of the trans
formation of the centrosome from con
stituent of the cell to an Independent
organism. but four of the accompanying
group will give an idea of the principa
changes. No. 2 shows the centrosome
preparing to leave the cell. In No. 3 the,
have stretched to a considerable distanc
from the nucleus and the cytoplasm ha
disappeared. In No. a one of them ha
already freed itself and the other is seel
hanging by protoplasmic shaft. No.
shows the centrosome as a complete indi
yiduaI possessing nearly ali the propertie
of cell.
That the liberated centrosome is capab
of independent action DR.. Eisen has ais
ascertained. He has discovered them il
the blood serum by the hundreds. and sew
eral of them are in the act of devouriny
foreign matter. There are several slide
showing the new element wrapped arounC
the fragments of disintegrating cells lik,
the tentacIes of a devil-fsh. These slide
are dependent on color for their effect ant
cannot be reproduced in black and white
What does all this prove2 some nigh
. ask. in the first place, it proves beyont
the shadow of doubt that the centrosom
is the center of life of all animal cells. 1
is proved to be q distinct entity with ,
vital center that may be similar to a brain
This explains how the centrosome is abl