Thermal Death-point of Monad Germs. Bij W. H. Ballinger. 15 



2. In determining the point of devitalization of this largest 

 monad the extremest precaution was used. So low a death-point 

 (relatively) at first suggested possible error. But four experiments 

 with careful controls gave precisely the same result. At two degrees 

 below the boiling-point there was a feeble survival (as to numbers) 

 but it was not to be mistaken. The boihng-point endured for 

 ten minutes was totally destructive of the spores of this form. 

 And after a week of its total absence in one case, ten days in 

 another, and fourteen days in a third, the additional test provided 

 at K, Fig. 5, was employed. That is to say it was used to make it 

 plain that nothing had occurred to the pabulum which made it 

 unfit to sustain this special organism. A piece of platinum was 

 touched at its point with a little of the fluid containing the organ- 

 ism in abundance. This was inserted in the tube K resting on the 

 thin septum L. The tube was then closed at M and the platinum 

 shaken upon the septum, breaking it, and so admitting the charged 

 platinum into A, inoculating it. The result was the appearance 

 of this special organism in the cell in full vigour, in every case, in 

 the course of from two to five hours. 



3. The bearing of these results on the deeper questions of 

 Biology is plain ; at least they show on the most superficial glance, 

 the error of assuming the Abiogenetic origin of septic organisms 

 that may have arisen in closed vessels, because they were heated to 

 a sufficient temperature to destroy the adult, or to any temperature 

 less than that knoum to be destructive of the germ. They show 

 equally the need of enlarged and earnest work in this somewhat 

 difficult, but most fruitful field of labour. The question of the 

 present origin of living things, or living matter in any form, will 

 be most surely narrowed by degrees and settled, so far at least as 

 our present optical aids can carry us, here. The question of 

 " Spontaneous Generation " versus Abiogenesis, is, in its final form, 

 a question for the Biologist, or rather for Biology. It can avail 

 little in the quest for truth, in this matter, to assume the issue, 

 and work up to it : nothing is easier than this in such an inquiry. 

 "With modern students of Biology, I suspect that, at the beginning, 

 the bias of the mind was towards the present or continued transi- 

 tion of the not-living into the living, without the intervention of 

 living things, "^lliis on a superficial view at least, seemed to be 

 required by the doctrine of Evolution, and at least represented my 

 own view in approaching the question. But the facts were eloquent ; 

 besides which a closer study of the great doctrine of development 

 shows that it by no means involves, but the rather disallows, the 

 existence of continued transformation of the not-living into the 

 living unless passed through, so to speak, the alembic of life. To 

 suppose any hesitancy on the part of any truly scientific mind in 

 receiving the evidences of abiogenesis if they could be satisfactorily 



