12 



from inanimate was exposed. There is no possibility of generating; 

 life from dead matter. Micro-organisms are found most abundantly 

 in crowded dwelling-houses, and in towns ; in the country they are 

 rarer ; and they are difficult to discover in air wliich has come from 

 the ocean. It is by means of micro-organisms that sugar is 

 converted into alcohol, and alcohol into vinegar ; through them 

 cheese becomes altered and improved in quality and flavour ; 

 bread " rises " from the gases they produce, and the dough is 

 prepared for baking. 



Germ Theory op Disease. — In the early stages of research, 

 there appeared to be a belief that living germs were at the bottom 

 of many diseases. Certain skin diseases, such as ringworm, were 

 shown to depend upon a mould, and bacilli were discovered in the 

 blood of animals which had died from anthrax. Some of the more 

 conspicuous of these diseases are as follows : — Anthrax, from 

 bacillus anthracis, chicken cholera from another bacillus, erysipelas, 

 from a micrococcus, pneumonia from a small bacillus, and tubercle 

 from Koch's bacillus. ]\Iicro-organisms can be cultivated in water, 

 solution of extract of meat, &c., but best of all on solids such a& 

 potato and gelatine. They can be rendered visible by staining, 

 with aniline colours. 



TUESDAY, APRIL 5th, 



There was a Lecture by Professor Howes, Assistant Professor of 

 Biology, Normal School of Science, South Kensington, on " Eyes — 

 Ancient, Modern, and Indifferent." 



TUESDAY, MAY 3rd. 



A Lecture on " Earthquakes and Volcanoes " was delivered by 

 F. W. EuDLER, Esq., E.G.S. 



Attention was first called to the frequent recurrence of seismic- 

 and volcanic disturbances in recent years. The earthquake, which 

 shook a large part of Southern Europe, on Ash -Wednesday^ 



