THE GENESIS OF LIFE. 173 



by the addition of potash. Four retorts, the tubes of which 

 were drawn out to almost capillary fineness, were charged 

 with the infusion, two with acid and two with neutralised 

 liquid. "A small quantity of pounded cheese was then 

 added to one of each pair (of retorts). A fifth retort was 

 charged with unneutralised infusion diluted with its bulk 

 of water. As soon as each retort was charged, the open 

 end of its beak was heated in the blow-pipe flame, and 

 drawn out. The drawn-out part was then severed, and the 

 retort boiled over a Bunsen's burner, after which it was kept 

 in a state of active ebullition for five minutes. During the 

 boiling, some of the liquid was frequently ejected from the 

 almost capillary orifice of the retort. At the end of the 

 period named it was closed by the blow-pipe flame, care 

 being taken to continue the ebullition to the last. The 

 success of the operation (i.e., the production of a perfect 

 vacuum within the flask) was ascertained in each instance 

 by observing that, by wetting the upper part of the retort, 

 the ebullition was renewed." Three retorts of similar kind 

 were charged with hay infusion, and " the eight retorts were 

 placed, immediately after their preparation, in a water bath, 

 which was kept at a temperature of about 30 C." Three 

 days afterwards the flasks were examined, with the result of 

 finding that (i) in the unneutralised turnip infusion with 

 cheese, (2) in that without cheese, (3) in the neutral turnip 

 infusion without cheese, and (4) in the diluted turnip in- 

 fusion in all four cases no living forms were observed. 

 One retort (5) containing diluted hay infusion, had been 

 accidentally cracked, and was laid aside as futile, although 

 it is recorded that its contents swarmed with organisms. 

 Of the remaining three retorts, one (6) a neutral turnip 

 infusion with cheese, ascertained to be hermetically sealed 

 at the time of being opened, was found to contain many 

 organisms; a second (7) an undiluted hay infusion, also 

 entire, contained living beings ; and (8), an infusion of the 

 same nature as the last, contained organisms, but in fewer 

 numbers than its predecessor (7). These experimental 



