APPENDIX B. 



On the living Matter and Organisms contained within Crystals 

 of Neutral Ammonic Tartrate. 



Although ' germs ' are supposed by many to be univer- 

 sally diffused, more especially in the air and within organic 

 substances, it seems only reasonable for all to suppose that 

 they would exist much less abundantly in saline materials than 

 within organic substances. In order to ascertain whether 

 any, or what, visible organisms or spores were to be found in 

 the saline materials employed in my experiments, portions of 

 them have been repeatedly dissolved by distilled water in a 

 watch-glass, and the fluid has afterwards been submitted to 

 the most careful microscopical examination. Moreover, after 

 sufficient time has been allowed for subsidence, the bottom of 

 the watch-glass has been most carefully scrutinized by a 

 powerful immersion lens. The saline materials employed in 

 these experiments have been potash-and-ammonia-alum, 

 tartar emetic, neutral sodic phosphate, neutral ammonic 

 phosphate, ammonic oxalate, ammonic acetate, ammonic 

 carbonate, and neutral ammonic tartrate. The result of 

 repeated examinations of these substances in the manner 

 above stated has been, that not a trace of anything like an 

 organism — no fungus-spore, germ, or &%% of any kind — has 

 been found in solutions of any of the substances employed, 

 except in one. The one in which such bodies have been 



