STRUCTURE OF CELLS

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 55, 14 September 1928, Page 9

STRUCTURE OF CELLS

PROFESSOR HILL'S WORK ARTIFICIAL REPRODUCTION British Official Wireless. RUGBY, 12th September. Iv his address Dr. Donnan said that it appeared from Professor Hill's work on non-modxilated nerve cells and on muscle that the organised structure of these cells was a chemicodynamic structure, which supplied oxygen, and therefore oxide, to preserve the organisation. The molecular structure was always tending to run down to approach biochemical changes and disorganisation. It required constant oxidation to preserve the peculiar organisation or organised molecular structure of the life of the living cell. The life machine was therefore totally unlike other ordinary mechanical machines. It was perhaps a little premature to say how far these results would prove to be generally true, but Dr. Donnan said that ho. believed that thoy wero of enormous importance, and that for the first time in the history of science we begin, as yet a little dimly, to understand the difference between life and death, and therefore the very meaning of life itself. He believed continuous fine analysis of the living cell must lead to such an understanding of the organisation of life that the laboratory construction of a living cell on a physical plane could be achieved. Professor Hill, to whoso work Dr. Donnan attaches such great importance, is distinguished as a physician, mathematician, and physiologist. The technique of his physiological work has aroused immense admiration among his fellow-scientists. As an example, he is able to measure the increase of temperature caused by nerve impulse to one-millionth part of one degree.