Cutting Up a Cell

A "micro-vivisection" apparatus so delicate that it enables scientists to dissect living cells has been perfected by Professor C. E. Tharaldsen, of the Department of Zoology, Northwestern University. It consists of a brass lever moved by three finely adjusted screws, manipulating special glass needles which can be brought to bear upon a cell suspended in a drop of nutrient fluid under the lens of the microscope. The needles, the essential part of the machine, are finer than hairs and are formed like a "J" or an "L." The apparatus is superior to similar devices now in use, in that it is steadier. It requires much practice, however, to get a cell to lie still while a needle is being forced through it. The machine will make possible the study of the fundamental unit of living human protoplasm and its functions--a goal at which biologists have been aiming for years. Experiments are being conducted with minute eggs cut in two, to see whether each half will grow. The effects of various toxins and bacteria on the basic cell may be investigated with far-reaching significance to human welfare.