and Spontaneous Generaiion. 157 



drop of water, a glass slide, or even a finger coming into contact vrith 

 a fluid or tissue under examination, is quite sufficient to cause the 

 development of either bacteria or microzymes, iu an incredibly short 

 space of time. In this way a disturbing element is introduced 

 which mars and mystifies the most carefully made investigations of 

 the histologist. 



Admitting that the spores of fungi are always present iu the 

 atmosphere, although at some periods not in very great multitudes, 

 it by no means follows, nor can it be shown that they are the cause 

 of any specific form of disease. And, if it be time that so shght a 

 contammation as that spoken of by Dr. Sandei-son when brought 

 into contact with a fluid is sufficient to change its character and 

 start organic genns into life, then experiments said to prove that 

 living matter can begin de novo in solutions subjected to long boil- 

 ing must be accepted with extreme caution. For who can under- 

 take to say with any degree of certainty that the breaking of a 

 becker, in which a vacuum has been produced, can be conducted 

 with sufficient care to prevent the possibihty of a rush of au*. 

 carrying with it some organic particles, which shall contaminate 

 or impregnate the whole ? This, a point of the utmost importance, 

 has not received much attention, although it is sufficient to embar- 

 rass and confotind the results arrived at in the investigations of 

 Dr. Bastian. 



The ingenious way in which it is sought to explain experiments 

 made by submitting a solution to a temperature of 160" F.. alleged 

 to be stifficient to destroy all evidence of life, while in another sub- 

 jected to a much greater heat, ranging from 260^ to 302"' F., 

 living creatures have reappeared, is by no means satisfactory. This 

 admits of a difterent explanation, which will at once suggest itself 

 to those who have thought over the phenomenon. Neither does it 

 prove that because the elements of non-linng matter are known to 

 group themselves anew, so as to produce hving matter under the 

 influence of those physical forces which are concerned in bringing 

 about the growth of a plant ; that the same forces can be made to 

 combine by long boding to reproduce life or reconstruct the disinte- 

 grated particles of dead matter, and convert them into higher organisms 

 than had previously existed. It seems to me impossible to attempt 

 in this manner the settlement of a point of so much importance as 

 that of the origin of life. And since we cannot undertake to say 

 with anything Kke certainty that we have succeeded in destroying 

 every living germ in any experiment we may institute, then, I fear, 

 the spontaneous generation hypothesis is hardly worthy of further 

 serious consideration. But with regard to Dr. Sanderson's investi- 

 gations of certain contagious forms of disease, he produces positive 

 evidence that nothing hke bacteria or microzymes can be discovered 

 in the blood of persons affected with scarlatina. This is an important 



