286. THE BEGINNINGS OF LIFE. 



In spite of all that has been said upon the subject, 

 however, no success has yet attended the attempt to 

 show that Bacteria usually derive their origin from 

 Fungi, although the concurrent testimony of many 

 observers tend to show that they may, after undergoing 

 various developmental phases, grow into Fungi. The 

 actual origin of the plastide-particles or micrococci, 

 therefore, still remains an open question. 



What I have said concerning the appearance of 

 Torulte, and their derivation from minute particles, 

 seems to apply also to Sarcina, though my observations 

 on this subject are less complete and satisfactory. I 

 am even doubtful as to whether Sarcina is really a living 

 organism 1 . It was originally discovered by Prof. Good- 

 sir 2 , in fluid vomited by a patient suffering from disease 

 of the stomach. Subsequently it has been discovered 

 in other situations in urine by various observers, in 

 the lungs by Prof. Virchow, in fluid from the ven- 



rature in order to produce nests of microzymes, and if such nests are, as 

 Hallier states, to be found in all contagious liquids, the fact can hardly 

 fail to have a certain significance in its bearing on the etiology of 

 infective diseases ;' but then he adds : ' At present there is no ground 

 for stating either the one or the other. The former is denied by all 

 botanists, the latter by all pathologists.' 



1 See Appendix A., pp. ii v. 



2 See ' Edinb. Med. and Surg. Journal,' vol. Ivii., 1842. The de- 

 scription then given was as follows : ' Sarcina, plants coriaceous, 

 transparent, consisting of 16 to 64 four-celled square frustules, arranged 

 parallel to one another in a square transparent matrix. Species i. 

 Sarcina ventriculi (mihi), Frustules 16, colour light brown, transparent 

 matrix very perceptible between the frustules, less so around the edges ; 

 size 800 to locoth inch. Hab., the human stomach.' 



