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nets ; in some we have thus far discovered but one. Many
have two important waste products that correspond with
the carbonic acid and the urea in animals. (Makes drawing
on 1)oard, of vessel containing partition.)
Suppose we take a vessel and fill it with a solution of
cane sugar and put a partition across it composed of an
animal membrane that is suiftciently close to prevent any
particles passing from one side to the other. The solutions
in the two sides are alike. We plant yeast in one side and
in the side in which the yeast is planted we will have a bub-
bling up of carbonic acid in a short time, and, examining the
solution we will find that it is gaining alcohol. The sugar
has been digested in the one side, the alcohol is being formed,
the carbonic acid bubbles from it. But no such action occurs
upon the opposite side of the membrane, the fluid remains
still, yet if we examine that fluid we will find that the cane
sugar is being digested and converted into glucose. The
enzyme, or digestive body, of the micro-organism that has
been formed in the one side has percolated through the ani-
mal membrane and produced a digestion upon the other side
of the membrane, but the other functions of the organism
have not been carried on upon that side of the membrane
they are carried on only in the immediate presence of the
organism. Now these cells throw out their enzyme into the
surrounding fluid, all acting as one body, or performing the
digestion in common, assisting each other in this process of
digestion. Then each cell absorbs the digested material from
the common product and in this way perform their nutrition.
I remember a number of years ago Mr. Lister, in some of
his experiments with micro-organisms—he was a very acute
experimenter—found that Bacterium Termo would not begin
to grow in blood unless a certain number of the organisms
were associated. He tried one—it didn't grow, conditions
were all favorable. He tried two, three, four, and had to
reach half a dozen of them in association before they would
begin to decompose blood. Now it was a pretty intricate
experiment to count these little fellows out, but he succeeded
in doing it so that I thought he did it quite satisfactorily.
The idea was this—that it required a certain concentration of
the enzyme thrown out before a sufficient digestion could be
performed for the nutrition of the plant. One alone was
95
nets ; in some we have thus far discovered but one. Many
have two important waste products that correspond with
the carbonic acid and the urea in animals. (Makes drawing
on 1)oard, of vessel containing partition.)
Suppose we take a vessel and fill it with a solution of
cane sugar and put a partition across it composed of an
animal membrane that is suiftciently close to prevent any
particles passing from one side to the other. The solutions
in the two sides are alike. We plant yeast in one side and
in the side in which the yeast is planted we will have a bub-
bling up of carbonic acid in a short time, and, examining the
solution we will find that it is gaining alcohol. The sugar
has been digested in the one side, the alcohol is being formed,
the carbonic acid bubbles from it. But no such action occurs
upon the opposite side of the membrane, the fluid remains
still, yet if we examine that fluid we will find that the cane
sugar is being digested and converted into glucose. The
enzyme, or digestive body, of the micro-organism that has
been formed in the one side has percolated through the ani-
mal membrane and produced a digestion upon the other side
of the membrane, but the other functions of the organism
have not been carried on upon that side of the membrane
they are carried on only in the immediate presence of the
organism. Now these cells throw out their enzyme into the
surrounding fluid, all acting as one body, or performing the
digestion in common, assisting each other in this process of
digestion. Then each cell absorbs the digested material from
the common product and in this way perform their nutrition.
I remember a number of years ago Mr. Lister, in some of
his experiments with micro-organisms—he was a very acute
experimenter—found that Bacterium Termo would not begin
to grow in blood unless a certain number of the organisms
were associated. He tried one—it didn't grow, conditions
were all favorable. He tried two, three, four, and had to
reach half a dozen of them in association before they would
begin to decompose blood. Now it was a pretty intricate
experiment to count these little fellows out, but he succeeded
in doing it so that I thought he did it quite satisfactorily.
The idea was this—that it required a certain concentration of
the enzyme thrown out before a sufficient digestion could be
performed for the nutrition of the plant. One alone was
95
