SPONTANEOUS OENEEATION. 317' 



of flasks were charged with turnip-infusion prepared iii' 

 the infected laboratory, and were afterwards subjected 

 to the boiling temperature for periods varying from 

 15 minutes to 240 minutes. Out of the ten groups 

 only one was sterilized — that, namely, which had been 

 boiled for four hours. Every flask of the nine groups- 

 which had been boiled for 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90, 105,, 

 120, and 180 minutes, respectively, bred organisms 

 afterwards. The same is true of other vegetable in- 

 fusions. On the 28th of February last, for example, I 

 boiled six flasks, containing cucumber infusion prepared 

 in an infected atmosphere, for periods of 15, 30, 45, 60y 

 120, and 180 minutes. Every flask of the group sub- 

 sequently developed organisms. On the same day, in 

 the case of three flasks, the boiling was prolonged to 

 240, 300, and 360 minutes ; and these three flasks were- 

 completely sterilized. Animal infusions, which under 

 ordinary circumstances are rendered infallibly barren 

 by five minutes' boiling, behave like the vegetable in- 

 fusions in an atmosphere infected with hay-germs. On 

 the 30th of March, for example, five flasks were charged 

 with a clear infusion of beef and boiled for 60 minutes, 

 120 minutes, 1 80 minutes, 240 minutes, and 300 minutes 

 respectively. Every one of them became subsequently 

 crowded with organisms, and the same happened to a 

 perfectly pellucid mutton infusion prepared at the same 

 time. The cases are to be numbered by hundreds in 

 which similar powers of resistance were manifested by 

 infusions of the most diverse kinds. 



In the presence of such facts I would ask my 

 colleague whether it is necessary to dwell for a single 

 instant on the one-sidedness of the evidence which led 

 to the conclusion that all living matter has its life 

 destroyed by * the briefest exposure to the influence of 

 boiling water.' An infusion proved to be barren by 



