Appendix. 75 



vestigations and scientists, there never was any previous period in 

 the world's history, when reading and learned men and scientists 

 were so much divided in opinion, and embraced so many con- 

 flicting theories upon the subject of life and its origin, as they do 

 to-day. 



In most of the experiments made and reported by Pouchet, 

 Wyman, Bastian, and others, animal life was developed from 

 water and vegetable infusions, vvhich had been heated to the 

 boiling point, hermetically sealed in glass jars, and exposed for 

 some time in a warm atmosphere. Pasteur boiled vegetable in- 

 fusions from 4 to 6 hours, sealed and exposed them in a similar 

 manner, and no animal organisms were developed. 



Heat and water are the great solvents of nature. Steam and 

 hot water not only destroy life, but soon dissolve all animal 

 fibres and organs, except bones. Because water and vegetable in- 

 fusions will not develop animalcules after having been boiled 

 from 4 to 6 hours, it does not follow, that animal life is never 

 originated without the agency of parents. Such boiling not only 

 destroys the germs and incipient organisms existing in the water 

 and in the vegetable matter, but it drives out the vital element 

 itself, and destroys the very essence of the vegetable matter, 

 evaporates the nutritious portions of it, and unfits it for food, 

 for the development of other organisms. Nature never boils the 

 materials out of which she developes living organisms. 



Living organisms may originate : 



ist, By a special creation of God. 



2d, By the spontaneous action of the elements and forces of 

 nature, without the agency of parents, which is called spontane- 

 ous getieration ; or 



3d, By the spontaneous action of the elements and forces 

 of nature, acting through the agency of parents, and their ova, 

 sperm, spores, germs or seeds. 



Parentage does not supersede, but only co-operates with, the 

 elements and forces ot nature, in propagating and producing liv- 

 ing organisms ; and when they have come into existence, the 

 agencey of parents soon ceases, and their future growth and 



