SP ONTANEO US GENERA TIOK 



121 



found as fatal as an excess of acid to the pro- 

 duction of life. 



This experiment was no sooner communicated 

 to the French Academy than Pasteur, who had 

 held aloof from the controversy for many years, 

 rushed again into the fray. He repeated Bas- 

 tian's experiment, and confirmed his observation. 

 But he did not yet give up his theory. Instead 

 of that, he tendered the only explanation open to 

 him, and said that the life proceeded from germs 

 left unkilled in the liquor-potassae tube, though 

 kept at a boiling heat for a long time. He re- 

 peated the experiment with some alterations, the 

 principal one being the use of pure solid potash 

 in place of liquor potassas. This time he obtained 

 no life, which Bastian attributed to an excessive 

 close of alkali. Ultimately, after a lively corre- 

 spondence, the French savant challenged our 

 countryman to repeat his experiment with this 

 variation, that the potash-tube should be heated 

 either for twenty minutes to 110° C, or for five 

 minutes to 130°. The next issue of the " Comptes 

 Rendus" contained a letter from Bastian stating 

 that he had done what Pasteur required in the 

 way of heating, and more, having kept his pot- 

 ash-tubes at 110° C. for twenty hours instead of 

 twenty minutes, and that he obtained just the 

 same results as before. This brought from Pas- 

 teur a letter in English to the Lancet, vehemently 

 asserting that such results were impossible ; and 

 by a strange oversight, for which the translator 

 is, we hope, solely responsible, declaring that 

 though Bastian can undoubtedly succeed in his 

 experiment with a temperature of 100°, he has 

 done nothing but repeat Pasteur's own old ex- 

 periment, and confirm his theory, announced 

 fifteen years ago, that the sterilization of organic 

 fluids, when they are neutral or slightly alkaline, 

 requires a temperature higher than 100 c C. It is 

 odd that the writer or the translator should not 

 have appreciated the crucial distinction between 

 neutralizing the fluid for protection of live germs 

 before the boiling and neutralizing it afterward, 

 when on the common hypothesis the germs were 

 already dead. But angry men sometimes are a 

 little blind. In conclusion, he announces that the 

 Academy have at his request appointed a com- 

 mission composed of MM. Dumas, Milne-Edwards, 

 and Boussingault, to investigate the matter, and 

 condoles with his opponent on his approaching 

 condemnation. 



With abundant chivalry our countryman in- 



stantly accepted the challenge, and offered to re- 

 peat his experiments in the presence of the com- 

 mission, provided that a satisfactory programme 

 should be arranged beforehand to insure him a 

 fair opportunity of presenting and proving his 

 case. Those who remember the history of a for- 

 mer French commission on the very same subject, 

 on which two of the present commissioners served, 

 may be excused for doubting whether the guaran- 

 tees for a fair and open investigation which were 

 refused to MM. Pouchet, Joly, and Musset, will be 

 conceded to an Englishman who presumes to ques- 

 tion the infallibility of Pasteur. The three French 

 savants who then disputed Pasteur's views were 

 placed under such restrictions by the course of 

 procedure laid down for them by the commis- 

 sioners that they considered it due to their dig- 

 nity to retire. The abortive commission ended, 

 as it is likely this will end, in an ex-parte hearing. 

 It is possible, indeed, that MM. Dumas and Milne- 

 Edwards may think that more generosity is due 

 to a foreigner who ventures to appear before a 

 tribunal from which every one who inclines to his 

 side of the controversy has been eliminated. If 

 they are disposed to allow of a fair preliminary 

 programme, and to concede the guarantee of pub- 

 licity, it is conceivable that an interesting inves- 

 tigation may result ; but if it is really desired to 

 obtain a verdict which will carry weight elsewhere 

 than in Paris, it would be well to add to the dis- 

 tinguished savants already nominated some who 

 are less committed to Pasteur's views and less 

 dazzled by the glamour of his great reputation. 

 We doubt much whether Pasteur would, even 

 with the strongest guarantees, consent to appear 

 before three English believers in spontaneous 

 generation. It is much to be regretted that these 

 vexed questions of fact have not long before this 

 been submitted to an impartial English tribunal. 

 There are competent men enough for the purpose 

 on each side, and, what is still better, there are to 

 be found able scientific men, versed in this kind 

 of investigation, who have committed themselves 

 to neither view, and have maintained an attitude 

 of philosophical reserve. With such materials at 

 hand, backed by our English love of fair play, it 

 would be very hard if we could not produce at 

 home a better and fairer tribunal than that which 

 M. Pasteur has proposed. Is not the comity of 

 Science capable of bringing about some such ar- 



rangement ? 



— Contemporary Review. 



