The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-06-01
FROM BERKELEY.
DR.. w. E. Ritter, Professor of BIZ
ology, on the Importance Of
the Discovery.

oogy, on the Importance of
the Discovery.
BERKELEY, CAL, May 31-Following
is what DR.. W. E. Ritter, assistant profess
sor of biology at the State University, has
to say with regard to the supreme impor-
lance of the discovery of DR.. Gustav Eisen /:
The very important discovery made by Dr..
Gustav Eisen concerning the centrosome in
the blood cells of batrachiseps, an account of
which was published in yesterdays Sundays
CALL. is a subject SO involved in the subtleties
OF cellular biology as to make discussion OF 1t
that shall be Ineligible to the unlearned in
the science exceedingly difficult if not quite
impossible.
That the discovery is of the highest impor-
lance, if it shall be fully confirmed and ex-
tended TO other animals, there can be no
doubt. l have examined DR.. Elsen's beautiful
figures somewhat critically, and also his prep
ArAJions to some extent. The investigation
MICA skill, and can see no ground for doubt
ing that the facts are essentially as the author
has presented them.
II is possible that farther study may modify
them somewhat-the case would stand almost
alone among scientific discoveries should 1t be
otherwise; and the final Interpretation OF
them will IN all proba bility differ somewhat
from that made by DR.. EiSen-thiS, TOO, viii be
in accordance with the almost invariable
course OF the growth OF scientific knowledge.
But in spite of this the discovery is, be-
lieve, bound to stand out as distinctly en-
riching one in this supremacy important do
main of biological science. To my mind the
real significance OF it, brought down to the
limits OF nutshell is this. 1t shows that the
nucleus OF the cell is less fundamental to the
life and functions OF the cell than is held to be
the case by the cell theory as IL now prevails.
Or, stated in another way, 1t shows that the
so-called cytoplasm, or cell-protoplasm pos
sesseS In itself, !. e., Independently OF the
nucleus of the CELL greater capabilities than
Greattrlbuted to it by prevailing morphologi-
cal and physiological doctrines.
A few explanatory sentences may, perhaps,
bring into the field OF vision of the unbio-
logical the real meaning of this boiled-down
statement.
II is now known to all educated people that
protoplasm is accepted by science as the
physical basis of life, and that If is the simplest
form of organized, living matter known to
science. Now, this being accepted, the theory
of organic evolution, which is at present re-
Jected by so few people that we are justified IN
speaking as though its acceptance were uni
yersal, is compelled to suppose organisms have
existed at some time, somewhere, which were
composed exclusively of protoplasm.
Do organisms thus simple and primitive ex-
list at the present time? This is very leglti-
mate and necessary question to ask the biolo-
gist, because no fact about organic beings is
more obvious than that they constitute an
enormous series as regards their grade OF or
ganIZation, the highest OF which are exceed
ingly complex, and tue lowest that are well
known are almost infinitely simple as COM
pared with the highest. Why, then, may not
sufficiently careful search discover organisms
as simpl as the doctrine ofevolutlon requires?
Well, such creatures have been much
searched after and from time to time they
have been described and pictured. But again
and again sufficiently searching study with
the more and more nearly perfect microscope
has compelled them TO descend from their as
sumed exalted place as the true primal
Organism In other words, they have been
found to be more complex than was at first
supposed.
Now all the while that search after the
primal organism has been prosecuted, inyesti-
cations on the ultimate composition of the
bodies OF higher organisms have been as
assiduously carried The outcome OF this
has been the establishment OF the cell doctrine.
This doctrine recognizes that the constituent
protoplasm of all organic beings is formed into
exceedingly small but very definitely con-
stituted bodies called cells which are the real
ultimate elements both OF all organization and
OF all function.
The point of prime importance in connec-
ton with these elements, the cells, is that they
are by no means uumodified, simple proto-
plasmic masses. In fact they are really very
complex structures, particularly when their
entire life history is regarded. The prevailing
view is that OF the various parts OF which
almost all cells are composed. Two are wholly
essential to its life and activities. These are.
the cytoplasm, or cell body, and the nucleus
And of these two there has been a strong
tendency in very recent years TO look upon
the nucleus as somewhat more fundamental
tn all the cytoplasm.
Now this discovery by Dr. Eisen seems to
show that in this case at least the eytoplasm,
l. e.. the part OF the cell supposedly least modi-
fed from the original protoplasmic condition.
does have IN itself capabilities OF doing work
without the mediation of the more highly
differentiated organ OF the cell, i. e., the
nucleus.
1t ought to be said here that quite recently
other observations have been published that
tend somewhat in the same direction; i. e.,
that tend to attribute 10 the cytoplasm greater
relative importance in the economy of the
cell than prevailing views admit.
Just what role the centrosome plays in this
independent life and activity of the cytoplasm
is a question of great interest and Importance,
but at the same time one of great obscurity,
and it seems to me secondary in importance to
the point upon which / have dwelt.
w. E. RITTER.