ORIGIN OF LOWEST ORGANISMS. 79 



After eleven days, the fluid being still clear, the tube was 

 broken just beyond the second bending from the bulb, 

 and then the flask was re-immersed in the bath. After 

 three days' exposure, the fluid being still clear, it was 

 boiled in the flask for one minute, when it was noticed 

 that the steam was quite odourless. The flask was then 

 replaced in the water-bath, where it remained for 

 twenty-two days (still with the neck open and broken 

 just beyond its second bending) without showing any 

 change.* It was then submitted to examination ; the 

 fluid was found to be devoid of all odour, it had a 

 slightly bitter taste, and its re-action was very faintly 

 acid. On microscopical examination no living things 

 were found ; there were no Bacteria, no Vibriones, and 

 no Torttlce, only some mere granules, a small amount 

 of amorphous matter, and a few fibres, f 



No. XXXIV. Turnip Infusion Neutralized by Am- 



After this experiment had been completed, a fresh-filtered 

 infusion of turnip was placed in the same flask (having the neck 

 open just beyond its second bending), and after having been 

 boiled for a few minutes it was immersed in the same water-bath. 

 This fluid became turbid in thirty-six hours, and was then found 

 to contain multitudes of Bacteria ; and the characteristic odour 

 of the turnip infusion was still appreciable. 



f The results of this experiment are most interesting, espe- 

 cially if compared with what takes place when some of the same 

 fluid is neutralized by ammonic carbonate (No. XXXIV.), 

 with what occurs when a similar fluid (as in No. XXX.) is con- 

 tained in a flask sealed during the continuance of ebullition, or also 

 with what occurred in Nos. XIII. and XXXII. In the present 

 case the second boiling seems to have destroyed what small 

 amount of fermentability there was still remaining in the solu- 

 tion ; but in No. IX. fermentation did take place after the second 

 boiling though this occurred only under the influence of dimi- 

 nished pressure and a higher temperature. 



