i 9 4 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



fetid odor, as though a fermentative process had been taking place in 

 the solution. The fluid was very slightly turbid, and there was a well- 

 marked sediment consisting of reddish-brown fragments, and of a light 

 floccnlent deposit. On microscopical examination the fragments were 

 found to be portions of altered muscular fibre, while the flocculent 

 deposit was composed for the most part of granular aggregations of 

 Bacteria. In the portions of fluid and of deposit which were exam- 

 ined, there were thousands of Bacteria of most diverse shapes and 

 sizes, either sepai'ate or aggregated into flakes. There were also a 

 large number of monilated chains, of various lengths, of a kind very 

 frequently met with in abscesses and other situations, where pyaemia 

 or low typhoid states of the system exist, in the human subject. 

 There were, in addition, a large number of Torula corpuscles, as well 

 as of brownish, nucleated, spore-like bodies, gradually increasing in 

 size from mere specks, about g - 6 ^ 00 th up to sxjnj-th of an inch in di- 

 ameter. Lastly, there was a small quantity of a mycelial Fungus fila- 

 ment, bearing short lateral branches, most of which were capped by a 

 single spore-like body. 



Experiment II. A strong infusion of common cress (Lepidium 

 sativum), to which a few of the leaves and stalks of the plant were 

 added, was inclosed in an hermetically-sealed flask in the same way, 

 heated in the digester at the same time (and therefore to the same 

 temperature), and was subsequently exposed to the influence of the 

 same conditions as I have already mentioned in connection with the 

 last experiment. This flask was, however, opened one week later 

 that is, at the close of the ninth week after it had been heated in the 

 digester to 270-275 Fahr. Before breaking the neck of the flask, the 

 inbending of the glass under the blow-pipe flame showed that it was 

 still hermetically sealed. The reaction of the fluid was found to be 

 distinctly acid, though there was no notable odor. The fluid itself 

 was tolerably clear and free from scum, but there was a dirty-looking 

 flocculent sediment at the bottom of the flask, among the debris of 

 the cress. On microscopical examination (with a -j^g-th "immersion" 

 objective) much altered chlorophyll existed, either dispersed or ag- 

 gregated among the other granular matter of the sediment, and 

 among some of this three minute and delicate Protamcebce were seen, 

 varying in form, and creeping with moderately rajnd, slug-like move- 

 ments. They contained no nucleus, and presented only a few granules 

 in their interior. In the same drop of fluid, and also in others sub- 

 sequently examined, more than a dozen very active Monads (^-^th 

 of an inch in diameter) were seen, each provided with a long, rapidly- 

 moving lash by which neighboring granules were freely knocked 

 about. There were many smaller motionless and tailless spherules of 

 different sizes, whose body substance presented a similar appearance 

 to that of the Monads and of which they were, in all probability, 

 earlier developmental forms. There were also several unjointed Bac- 



