Minute Organisms. 107 



duced by a specific vegetable organism ;" and be says it appears to 

 bim tbat tbe arguments break down as soon as tbey are analyzed, 

 and tbe facts in tbeir favour carefully investigated." Dr. Beale refers 

 tbe miscbief to minute living particles of " bioplasm," and be says, 

 " tbese resemble one anotber in general appearance. Neitber by its 

 form, cbemical composition, or otber demonstrable properties, could 

 tbe vaccine germ be distinguisbed from tbe small-pox germ, or tbe 

 pus germ from eitber. All resemble tbe mmute particles of tbe 

 bioplasm of tbe blood from wbicb tbey bave probably been derived, 

 but from wbicb tbey difier so remarkably in power." Tbe doctrine 

 of absolute species propagated by special germs capable of no otber 

 development tban one baving correlation witb a particular disease in- 

 volves difficulties wbicb require great consideration on tbe part of 

 naturalists and pbysiologists, and is obviously connected witb ques- 

 tions of tbe permanence of species, and tbe production of varieties. 

 It may be doubted wbetber all Hving particles in plants, or wbicb are 

 plants, could be distinguisbed by any means witb certainty from 

 Dr. Beale's animal bioplasm particles ; and we are not witbout recur- 

 ring evidence tbat vegetable organisms may be causes of disease. 

 Dr. Balestra* bas lately adduced reasons for supposing tbat a micro- 

 scopic plant producing an appearance like oil spots on tbe water of 

 tbe Pontine Marsbes, and wbicb, on examination, is found to bave a 

 form like tbat of tbe Cactus Peruviana, is tbe source of ague poison. 

 He describes its spores as xoVotb of a millimetre in diameter, and of 

 a cbaracteristic form. He found tbat small quantities of sulpbate 

 of quinine and arsenious acid or sulpbite of soda altered tbem in a 

 striking way and killed tbem. He traced tbem in tbe marsb air, and 

 bebeved tbat an ague witb wbicb be was twice attacked was occa- 

 sioned by inbaling tbem — tbe fit coming on after baving involun- 

 tarily smelt water in fermentation and covered witb tbe plants and 

 tbeir spores. 



Tbe valuable researcbes of M. Pasteur and otbers into tbe cause 

 of silkworm diseases are too well known to need extensive reference, 

 and by tbe metbods be proposed of obtaining eggs from bealtby 

 motbs kept in seclusion, an enormous gain bas been secured to tbe 

 cultivators. M. Pasteur distinguisbes tbree principal silkworm dis- 

 eases, muscardine produced by spores of Botnjtis Bassiana, and pe- 

 hrine produced by " corpuscles," found in all stages from tbe egg 

 to tbe motb, in all its tissues and bquids, in tbe silk material, and 

 in tbe dejections. Tbese corpuscles, be tells us, multiply by germs, 

 but tbose wbicb are found in tbe dust and rubbisb of silk farms, be 

 says, are dried up and deprived of life. Tbose wbicb find tbeir 

 way into eggs are active for miscbief. Tbey may be introduced by 

 birtb and descent, by inoculation, or by food. Anotber disorder 

 called la fldcJierie is produced by a ferment wbicb develops cbaplets 

 * 'Comptes Eendus,' IS July, 1870, p. 235. 



