103 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



either an affirmation or a denial of the hypothesis. "If," says 

 Professor Wyman, " on the one hand, it is urged that all organisms, 

 in so lar as the early history of them is known, are derived from 

 ova and therefore from analogy we must ascribe a similar origin to 

 those minute beings whose early history we do not tnow ; it may 

 be urged with equal force, on the other hand, that all ova and 

 spores in so far as we know anything about them, are destroyed 

 by prolonged boiling ; therefore, from analogy we are equally 

 bound to infer that Vibrios, Bacteriums, etc., could not have been 

 derived from ova, since these would all have' been destroyed by 

 the conditions to w^iich they have been subjected." 



Madam Liiders believes that she has proved that Vibrios are the 

 developed spores and germinal filaments of various fungi. She 

 has carried on her investigations with the greatest patience and 

 care. All the glasses used were Bubjocted to the strong and long 

 continued heat of a cpirit Itimp, that every germ accidentally 

 present might ha destroyed. Tlis liquids to be employed were 

 boiled at high temperatures, cjid ^Lgu secured from contact with 

 any sources which could possibly furnish fresh germs. In every 

 instance, there failed to appear any oi'ganisms when such pre- 

 cautions were taken. 



On sowing these liquids, in which only negative results were 

 found, with spores of fungi, a cloudiness Avas often observed in the 

 course of a few hours ; and within twenty-four hours they swarmed 

 with Vibrios. 



These experiments, repeated, with certain modifications, by 

 Professor Ilensen, gave results entirely confirmatory. 



The experiments and observations of Schroder point to the same 

 conclusions — namely, that there is, as yet, not the least evidence, of 

 a positive nature, to indicate that the hypothesis of spontaneous 

 generation is correct. Meanwhile careful observers have not been 

 wanting to take up another line of investigation. It was found that 

 the common hair-worm (Gordius) was invariably full grown when 

 first observed free. Certain thread-like worms were noticed in act 

 of escaping from the bodies of insects, and by comparison they were 

 proved to be identical. It only remained to seek the mode of 

 propagation. Success awaited the search ; and it was found that 

 the recently escaped individuals are not yet sexually developed. 

 They become so, after a little time, when free to move in the moist 

 earth, or in muddy puddles. The female then produces a long 

 agglutinated string of ova. These being speedily hatched, the 



