「細胞説」に関するSchwannの3篇の予報についで

抄録

In 1838, the previous year of the publication of his famous book Mikroskopische Untersuchungen, T.Schwann published three preliminary articles in Froriep's Notizen. They are, 1) "Ueber die Analogie in der Structur und dem Wachsthume der Thiere und Pflanzen" 2) "Fortsetzung der Untersuchungen über die Uebereinstimmung in der Structur der Thiere und Pflanzenn" 3) "Nachtrag zu den Untersuchungen über die Uebereinstimmung in der Structur der Thiere und Pflanzen". Moreover, they preceded the publication of Schleiden's "Beitrage zur Phytogenesis." These three articles, however, have not been given but scant attention in histories of biology or cytology. According to the "Cell Theory" of today, a cell is considered as the fundamental unit of all living organism, and the properties of a living organism are seen as the sum of the properties of its component cells. But it should be noted that Schwann, who first used the term "Cell Theory," used it to indicate a so-called Schleiden & Schwann's "Cell Formation Theory," which was to be denied later. The object of this article is to introduce the contents of Schwann's three articles critically, to point out that these articles include not only the "Cell Formation Theory," but also the very essence of the "Cell Theory" of today, therefore, to conclude the description, often seen in many histories of biology, that the "Cell Theory" was advocated by Schleiden (1838) and Schwann (1839) is not correct, and it should with greater propriety be described that the "Cell Theory" of today was advocated.by both Schwann and Schleiden in 1838.