THE BEGINNINGS OF LIFE. 339 







tive influences to which the particular organic matter 

 had been subjected by the previous boiling of the 

 fluids. When organisms are found, however,, in solu- 

 tions which have been legitimately subjected to the 

 conditions involved in Schwann's experiments, then 

 one of two things is proven : either the amount of heat 

 which was hitherto deemed adequate to destroy all 

 pre-existing organisms is in reality not sufficient, or 

 else the organisms found^tttstr~have been evolved de 

 novo, as the evolutionists suppose. Unless, therefore, 

 the standard of vital resistance to heat can be shown 

 to be higher than it was formerly supposed to be, any 

 single positive result when Schwann's experiment has 

 been legitimately performed, is of far more importance 

 towards the settlement of the question in dispute than 

 five hundred negative results. It would tend to show 

 that in the particular fluid employed, organisms might 

 be evolved de novo. 



The experiments of Schwann have been commonly 

 believed by many to be altogether in favour of the views 

 of the panspermatists. Those who read his memoir 

 will find, however, that he did not fail to obtain living 

 organisms in all his experimental fluids. When the 

 fluids were such as were capable of undergoing the 

 alcoholic fermentation on exposure to the air, living 

 organisms were, in spite of all precautions, sometimes 

 found within his flasks. And although many other 

 investigators had subsequently obtained living things, 

 even when other infusions were employed, M. Pasteur 



& 2 



