322 Dr Eschricht's Inquiries concerning 



the whole merit is due to the discoveries of Professor Ehren- 

 berg. It is of little consequence in this matter, whether this 

 gentleman he right in maintaining that the infusoria poli/gas- 

 trica are provided with real stomachs, as may be fairly in- 

 ferred from observation, or whether M. Dujardin be correct in 

 asserting the pretended stomachs to be only foramina in the 

 mass ; or whether the opinion of Professor Meyer of Berlin be 

 correct, who maintains that what Professor Ehrenberg regards 

 as stomachs, are nothing more than globules of the food pre- 

 pared in the intestines, and thrown into a large cavity. Neither 

 is it of any consequence whether he be right or wrong in as- 

 serting that certain organs are testes ; the fact being, that Pro- 

 fessor Ehrenberg has discovered, beyond all controversy, that 

 all the infusoria have a very complete organization, even if 

 not so perfect, according to his belief, as that of the higher or- 

 ders of animals. To this may be added, as the third important 

 particular, the direct observation that the reproduction of these 

 creatures is perfectly analogous to that of the other lower a?ii- 

 mals ; so that their appearance may be explained in most in- 

 stances without difficulty. These are circumstances which 

 would lead every cautious naturalist to entertain the strongest 

 suspicions concerning the spontaneous origin of these animal- 

 cula, and hence we now find the modern physiological school 

 of John MUller, Valentin, Siebold, &c. harbouring such doubts ; 

 although the theory of spontaneous^generation can scarcely be 

 considered as refuted or exploded, so long as such philosophers 

 and physiologists as Carus, Burdach, and Baer, still warmly de- 

 fend it. 



** To be, or not to be, that is the question \' and in respect 

 to this doctrine, strong and specious arguments may be addu- 

 ced on both sides. This being the case, a rash decision is 

 carefully to be avoided, and those who rashly arrive at one, 

 will probably fluctuate and change more than they anticipate. 

 Time will speedily shew whether the physiologists of some 

 countries, which have always rejected the doctrine, will not ere 

 long adopt, and perhaps again reject, it ; in fact, at the present 

 moment, no country possesses a more zealous advocate for the 

 theory than France does in M. Turpin. At the same time, 

 the question is much too important to be thrown aside. If we 

 •eannot obtain absolute certainty, we ought to approach it as 



