on the Vitality and Life of Germs, 249 



that barley, on germinating, abforbs oxygen gas ; and that 

 this abforption is in the ratio of the evolution of the germ. 

 At this epoch of life, however, as the tracheae of plants 

 and animals do not feem to be proper for refpiration, I am 

 of opinion that, as the germs which formed the obje6l of 

 my experiments were fenfible to the light, though deditute of 

 organs deiigned for feeling, thefe young beings, thefe germs, 

 abforb the air into thofe veflels which are one day to be their 

 organs of refpiration. Germs, in expanding, live then and 

 feel in a new manner which is peculiar to them. 



Additional Note ^, \ 



It has been long obferved in gardens, in hot-houfes and 

 hot- beds, that a fudden and flrong light often deftroys in an 

 inftant the young plants which have appeared. There are 

 none, perhaps, which dread more the cold and the light than 

 the germs of the larch, and fome other Alpine plants which, 

 however, remain nine months of the year under the fnow, 

 and the other three under a fcorching fun and the fereneft 

 (ky. They have need of being (Ijeltcred during their infancy, 

 like the plants of the Cape. Would the cafe be different 

 with the human race ? It appears that general rules, like 

 the maxims of philofophers, are every day contradi6led by a 

 kind and provident Nature, which knows to yield and to 

 put herfelf within the reach of every being, and, without 

 ftarts or agitation, to watch over their prefervation. Nothing 

 lefs than dire61: experiments can check the influence of opi- 

 nion, which, in confequence of the eloquence or reputation 

 of great men, hurries away the indolence or indifference of 

 the multitude. Thofe of Dr. Michelotti, which are really 

 original, raife up a corner of that veil which covers the 

 mylleries with which Nature is pleafed to conceal her pro- 

 ductions. They are a Icffon to mankind on the danger of 

 deducing confequences too general from particular fa6ls. In 

 a word, they teach us, what it would appear good fenfe 

 ought to have infpired long ago, that the firft, the mod ufe- 

 ful, and the mod vivifying of all the elements of life may ex- 

 * By the Editor of the Journal de "Phyftque, 



Vol. IX. I i tinguifli. 



