Moura warosecpical| ~~ Papers on Spontaneous Generation. 271 
would be readily seen,” but “they (infusoria, vegetable and animal) 
originate in oleo-albuminous molecules which are formed in organic 
fluids.” It is, however, self-evident that it is useless to expect 
these sources of “living things ” to be revealed to our sight, if, as 
Dr. Bastian says, they are INVISIBLE, and it is manifest that objects 
do exist in organic matter much too minute even for our highest 
powers to identify. Therefore the argument from the heated spores 
does not necessarily prove devitalization of the germs or fons e 
orzgo of the spores and filaments. 
Dr. Bastian speaks of “the form of colloid molecules.” The 
question suggests itself, What is the form or shape of a colloid or 
an oleo-mucilaginous molecule? Is it vesicular? If so, how does 
it become so? and, Why not germs? 
If the spores and filaments are “the developed representatives” 
of the “ living specks,” then the latter are the pre-existing source of 
the former. But the specks arise de novo, and their novwin de quo 
are the non-living constituents of the crystalline matter, which must 
(like cyanite of ammonia to urea) pass to the colloid state before it 
can possess Energia (p. 172). Dr. Bastian gives us no proof of 
this change, unless it be in the escape of gas from the crystals. 
Now an analysis of this gas and the mucedo formed would give a 
more definite idea whether the C H ON of the tartarate of ammonia 
was equal to the mucedo, the gas, and the residue. Dr. Bastian 
says (p. 219), “Germs are supposed by many to be universally 
diffused in the air and within organic substances.” Certain minute 
transparent cellules, having spontaneous movements similar in 
appearance to the zoospores which escape from the tubules of Vau- 
cheria from the Pseudo-gonidia of Confervze, and which I have seen 
floating freely within the vacuoles of those plants, as well as in the 
terminal vacuole of some desmids—ag Clostertum lunula—may be 
captured from the air by means of an air-sieve (see M. M. J., Aug., 
1870). 
tf we consider the cell-germ as a simple blastoderm (imper- 
ceptibly minute), one of a multiple which forms a basement of all 
organic matter, the osmose of vital dyalysis will explain the pheno- 
mena of growth by destruction of other dead matter, the original 
cell developing the properties of “life.” In that case the germs or 
specks from the tartarate of ammonia (indestructible by known 
heat) must have been derived from the air, and in the crystals used 
by Dr. Bastian (old and recent) shreds of cotton and paper fibre 
were always present. Why should not “germ” or “specks” have 
been attached to these fibres? Dr. Bastian allows that such germs 
may be invisible (p. 223). 
In observations on the crystallization of tartarate of ammonia, 
made since reading Dr. Bastian’s paper, I have watched the crys- 
talline fibres advance upon the glass and enclose various matters, 
VOL. IV. U 
