著者

檜木田 辰彦

出版者

日本科学史学会

雑誌

科学史研究 (ISSN:21887535)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.22, no.145, pp.35-43, 1983 (Released:2021-10-06)

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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) &quotUeber die Analogie in der Structur und dem Wachsthume der Thiere und Pflanzen" 2) &quotFortsetzung der Untersuchungen über die Uebereinstimmung in der Structur der Thiere und Pflanzenn" 3) &quotNachtrag zu den Untersuchungen über die Uebereinstimmung in der Structur der Thiere und Pflanzen". Moreover, they preceded the publication of Schleiden's &quotBeitrage zur Phytogenesis." These three articles, however, have not been given but scant attention in histories of biology or cytology. According to the &quotCell 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 &quotCell Theory," used it to indicate a so-called Schleiden & Schwann's &quotCell 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 &quotCell Formation Theory," but also the very essence of the &quotCell Theory" of today, therefore, to conclude the description, often seen in many histories of biology, that the &quotCell Theory" was advocated by Schleiden (1838) and Schwann (1839) is not correct, and it should with greater propriety be described that the &quotCell Theory" of today was advocated.by both Schwann and Schleiden in 1838.