34 GENERAL HISTORY OF 



he declares they were capable of being removed from their 

 native element, dried wp^ and preserved in this condition 

 for months, and even years, and then resuscitated on being 

 again moistened with water. That Rotatorial Infusoria 

 will revive, after remaining a day or two, apparently in a 

 dry state, I have particularly mentioned in the Natural 

 History of Animalcules. The distinguished author of 

 Die Infusionsthierchen, after many illustrations and com- 

 parisons made with reference to this subject, affirms, 

 that wherever these creatures are completely desiccated, 

 and their natural heat is gone, life can never again be 

 restored. In this respect, they exactly correspond with 

 animals of a larger kind ; like them, for a time, they may 

 continue in a lethargic and motionless condition, but, as it 

 is well known, there will be going on, within them, a 

 consumption, or wasting away of the body, equivalent to 

 so much outward nourishment as would be needed for the 

 sustentation of life. 



Section X. — On the Supposed Method of Manufacturing 

 Infusoria. 



Within the last few years an idea has been prevalent, 

 and many persons have occupied themselves in endea- 

 vouring to realize so extraordinary a discovery, that 

 animal life may be produced by means of galvanism. 

 The creatures said to have been thus brought into exis- 

 tence, that have come under my observation, were neither 

 the most minute, nor the most simple, in organization ; 

 and evidently belonged to the class Acari. That many 



