i. ANIMALCULA OF INFUSIONS. 5 



the feeds that had boiled half an hour. The like 

 proportions of time were preferved in the water 

 for the other three cialTes of infiifions ; that is, 

 an hour, one and a half, and two hours. 



Each of the four claiTes was marked with a 

 different number, to avoid all hazard of confu- 

 fion or error : and, becaufe an equal temperature 

 was moH: effential, all were depofited in the fame 

 place. The veffels, containing ^he infufions, were 

 not hermetically fealed, but loofely Hopped with 

 corks ; the only object of this examination being 

 to difcover, whether long protracted ebullition 

 would prejudice or deftroy the property of infuf- 

 ed fubftances in producing animalcula ; if it 

 did, there would be no difference whether the 

 veffels were open or clofe. 



The examination of one, or of few drops, will 

 bften induce an obferver to fuppofe the infuiion 

 quite deferted, or very thinly inhabited, while 

 the obfervation of many drops proves it to be 

 otherwife'. I v/as not content with one drop on- 

 ly, but uniformly took a confiderable number 

 from each infufion. 



The furface of infufions is generally covered 

 with a gelatinous fcum, thin at iirll, and ealily 

 broken, which, in procefs of tim.e, acquires con- 

 fiflence. Here, animalcula are always moft 

 numerous, as may be feen by a method I have 

 A 3 CQuftantly 



