New-York tribune., 1910-12-25

| The slides were placed in an incubator
and maintained at constant temperatuft
| of ~ degrees Centigrade. The MICROSCOPY
| used to study them was also placed IN
thermostat which kept 1t at the same tenn :
/ nerature The behavior OF the cells ahC
their growth could thus be observed iof
protracted period. Whatever tissues or
organs the plasmatic media were inocuiated
! with Ii was found that all their cells WITH
out any exception grew and multiplied
The time when cellular proiferatlon be-
gan depended on the nature of the tissue
on the age of the animal selected FOR the
experiment and other more or less I'n-
portant factors. In the cultivation OF
glands from adult dogs the veSeta'toh
started after thirty-six or forty hodrs.
-Four or five days after being sealed pc
tween the slides pieces of thyroid and kid-
ney were in full activity and remained ac-
five so long as the medium Itself allowed
it, Tissues like cartilage grow at first very
SLOWLY. After three days there appear but
few new cells: at the end OF the frst week.
however. the culture appears more active
and IL in full vegetation about the ninth
or tenth day.
The first cells to appear are of the So
called spindle or elongated type Their
shape is the same IN all tissues, bone mar
row or kidney, thyroid or cartilage "
little later multipolar cells begin to grow
which vary greatly according to the tissue
or organ they came from originally
All tissues and organs of adult mammals
can be thus cultivated outside of the body
The cultivation OF normal cells does not
present any more difficulty than that OF
ordinary microbes.
When we have mastered the laws OF cell
growth. when we can state with mathen1at-
ieal accuracy under what conditions skin.
bones and connective tissue will grow and
develop, what marvellous results will we not
attain? The only natural force as battling
as life is electricity. and We have gained
such fine control of IL that we can send
through wire a current so weak that IL
will bareIv set little bell tingling. or so
strong that it will set III motion giant
.lynanos and flood with light the streets OF
q metropolis Electricity will at our bid
ding exert gentle massage on an aching
limb. or infict a shock that will separate
the soul from the body.
When we have gained control OF cell
growth and multiplication-that is, of life's
laws-wiu no, all surgery become unneces-
thrown to the scrap heap? For one thing,
Operations will only be a horrible MEM
ory of the barbarous past The much
dreaded tumors and cancers are simply an
act of rebellion the part Of the cells
which grow indiscriminately, invading
space needed by other organs and exerting
a deadly pressure upon the vital parts of
the body Will not a knowledge of the
laws of growth enable us TO check as we'll
as to accelerate the development of some
cells?
That much for the knife's usefulness In
removing abnormal growths,
AS to amputations, it can be said that
however badly a limb may be crushed, Ii
will be a comparatively easy matter TO keep
the half severed end alive whIls the wound
is heaIing-that is. while osseous, muscular,
arteriaI or epithelial cells are being scien-
tiicaIly melted to ill up the gap.
Furthermore II we permitted to risk
a seemingly wild hypothesis. will not
science be able to foster the growth of d
new limb should an arm or leg be absolute