THE BEGINNINGS OF LIFE. . 285 



fungus may result; or else into Bacteria, which also 

 may develop into segmented filaments, and thence 

 into distinct Fungi of a different type, These various 

 kinds of Fungi, thus resulting from the development 

 of mere micrococci (or plastide-particles), are supposed 

 by Hallier to be capable of reproducing micrococci in 

 the manner already indicated by a breaking-up and 

 individualisation of the protoplasmic contents of cer- 

 tain reproductive cells 1 . Thus he claims to have shown 

 that such particles, and Bacteria, are merely the ultimate 

 reproductive elements of Fungi ; and he also tries to 

 show that they are the active infective agents in the 

 establishment of cholera and many other contagious 

 diseases 2 . 



1 See Twelfth Report of the Medical Officer of the Privy Council, 1870, 

 p. 243 ('Introductory Report on the Intimate Pathology of Contagion'). 

 It will be seen on p. 245 of this 'Report' that Dr. Sanderson proposes to 

 include micrococci, arthrococci, other forms of Bacteria, and Bacteridia, 

 under the single designation ' microzymes.' This, however, we consider for 

 many reasons undesirable. ' Microzyme' seems to be too theoretical and 

 specific as a name for a simple particle of plasma, which may have nothing 

 to do with fermentation ; and we think that such rudimentary particles 

 ought to be distinguished by name from those which have assumed 

 some developed form. For this latter reason, therefore, we consider 

 Nageli's term, ' Scbitzomycetes' even still more objectionable, since 

 according to De Bary, who adopts it, we are to include under this 

 designation ' forms of extreme minuteness, as yet insufficiently known as 

 regards their organization, which are represented by the generic names, 

 Vibrio, Bacterium, Zooglcea (Conn), Nosema (Nageli), Sarcina, &c.' 

 ('Morphologic der Pilze,' Leipsig, 1866, S. 3.) 



2 These claims and views have been carefully considered by Dr. 

 Burdon Sanderson, who says, in the before-mentioned Report, ' If it is 

 true that our common cereals are infected with an endophyte which 

 requires only certain very easily combined conditions of soil and tempe- 



