BIOLOGY. 269 



after 15 minutes 1 occupation was also tested by this method, and 

 in about 2 cubic feet, 0.3 milligrammes of ammonia and cf milli- 

 grammes of organic matter were found. With reference to the 

 presence of organic matter in the atmosphere, it was pointed out 

 that the subject was in no way a novel one, and that it had, dur- 

 ing the last 80 years, been very fully investigated by many ob- 

 servers, more especially by Schwann, Dusch, Schroeder, Helm- 

 holtz, Van-den, Broeck, Pasteur, and Pouchet; but it was shown 

 that it is to Dr. Angus Smith that we owe the discovery of the 

 readiness with which living organisms are formed in the con- 

 densed breath of crowded meetings, and the determination of 

 the actual quantity of organic matter in the air of different locali- 

 ties. Mr. Dancer's calculation of the number of spores contained 

 in the air was noticed, but a source of error was pointed out in 

 the readiness with which organisms are developed in suitable 

 fluids, even in the course of a few hours. Observations upon the 

 organic particles of respired air had at different times been made 

 by the author. 



1. In 1857 glass plates covered with glycerine had been exposed 

 in different places, and examined microscopically. Amongst 

 others in the dome of the borough jail, to which all the respired 

 air in the building is conducted, organized particles from the lungs 

 and various fibres were found in this air. 



2. Daring a crowded meeting at the free trade hall, air from 

 one of the boxes was drawn for 2 hours through distilled water, 

 and the sediment examined after 36 hours. The following objects 

 were noted : Fibres, separate cellules, nucleated cells surrounded 

 by granular matter, numerous epithelial scabs from the lungs and 

 skin. 



3. The dust from the top of one of the pillars was also examined, 

 and, in addition to other objects, the same epithelial scales were 

 detected. 



4. Several of the specimens of fluid from the lungs were 

 also searched with the microscope. In all of them epi- 

 thelium in different stages of deterioration was abundantly 

 present, but very few spores were found in any fresh speci- 

 men. On the other hand, after the fluid had been kept for a few 

 hours, myriads of vibriones and many spores were found. In a 

 case of diphtheria, confervoid filaments were noticed, and in 

 2 other cases, 1 of measles, and 1 of whooping-cough, 

 abundant specimens of a small-celled torula were found, and 

 these were seen to increase in numbers for 2 days, after 

 which they ceased to develop. These differences in the nature 

 of the bodies met with probably show some difference in the 

 nature of the fluid given off; but it was pointed out that they 

 afford no proof as yet of the germ-theory of disease. They 

 simply show the readiness with which the aqueous vapor of 

 the breath supports fermentation, and the dangers of bad ventila- 

 tion, especially in hospitals. Dr. E. Lund and Dr. H. Browne 

 stated that they had also made experiments, the results of which 

 were, in general, confirmatory of those obtained by Dr. Ran- 

 some. Nature. 



