110 THE ORIGIN OF LIFE 



kind of solution was inoculated with two drops of 

 a solution swarming with Bacteria from a fer- 

 menting fluid, either of animal or of vegetal origin, 

 or with Martindale's three lactic Bacilli, or even 

 with a pure culture of the B. caucasicum, the or- 

 ganisms multiplied in this solution, and that more 

 or less distinct turbidity of the fluid showed itself 

 after a few days. 



Once, in another open vessel containing some 

 of the same solution, a small patch of mould ap- 

 peared upon the surface of the fluid, which, on 

 examination, was found to have spread from a 

 very minute dead fly; but even that has not oc- 

 curred in either of the six open tubes or of the 

 two open flasks. The only conclusion to be drawn, 

 therefore, is that the solutions which I have em- 

 ployed are not prone to be contaminated even by 

 long exposure to air-borne particles. 



