s 1 
328 PROCEEDINGS OF socrerres, — [Monthly Microscopical 
spores. Now, gentlemen, I should think the most hardy advocate of 
spontaneous generation would hardly assert that these spores had 
originated de novo, and germinated in a'single night and day. 
To make the experiment more complete, I enclosed in another tube 
some spores which had not been boiled, and I found about the same 
number had germinated in this tube as in those containing the boiled 
spores, 
I have tried another set of experiments of a similar kind. I boiled 
a vegetable infusion containing a quantity of the bead-like growing 
mycelium of some fungus, probably a state of Penicillium, and mounted 
a few portions in a cell for the microscope. I then carefully examined 
and drew these portions, and watched them from hour to hour, and 
saw new cells formed and new buds put out. I have done this again 
and again with the same result. 
I have further found that this process is arrested in sealed tubes 
after a few hours; I cannot tell why, but I strongly suspect from the 
absence of dissolved air in the fluids: Mr. Cooke has suggested it may 
possibly be from the absence of dissolved nitrogen. I strongly suspect 
it is from this fact that we are able to preserve meats, &c., in vacuo. 
Of this at least there can be no doubt, both the growing mycelium 
and the spores of the common blue mould, Penicillium glaucum, will 
grow after boiling, and it is nevertheless possible to preserve meat, &c., 
on a large scale, by enclosing it in vacuo after boiling it. 
I may here remark that Dr. Bastian’s eighth experiment,* in which 
he found that an infusion of turnip decomposed more rapidly when 
enclosed in vacuo than a similar solution enclosed in a flask containing 
air, is simply incomprehensible, and is a contradiction to the well- 
known process of preserving meats, vegetables, fish, &e. 
I think, gentlemen, very few will believe we are justified, without 
evidence, in believing a temperature somewhat higher will kill these 
spores if boiling does not. I therefore look upon it that if a few 
observers will repeat my very simple experiments, no evidence is 
afforded by such experiments as those I have included under this first 
division in favour of generation de novo. 
The second series of experiments which aim at the production of 
new and unknown organisms, afford a wider field for speculation. I 
must confess, however, that in every case which I have seen, these so- 
called new organisms have appeared to me undoubtedly foreign bodies,. 
which have accidentally gained access to the solutions. 
The most recent experiments of this kind were carried out by 
Dr. Bastian, and their results have been published in ‘Nature.’ In 
these experiments a solution of sodic-phosphate and ammoniac car- 
bonate was enclosed in vacuo whilst boiling, and certain spiral fibres 
and portions of a fungus, like penicillium in fruit, were found after a 
time in the solutions. 
With a view to discover whether the spore-bearing portions of 
Penicillium would stand boiling, I tried the unripe spore-bearing fila- 
ments, and found that they were not altered in their appearance by 
such treatment. The ripe spores are, however, immediately scattered 
* ‘Nature,’ Pt. xxxvi, p. 194. 
