1865.] Organisms in Closed Vessels. 181 



have found much more convenient, aud have always employed in my sub- 

 sequent experiments, which are presently to he described (as represented in 

 the figure). 



The examination of the above series of experiments took place partly on 

 Sept. 19, when Dr. Beale kindly visited me at Oxford, in order to give me 

 his valuable assistance, and partly at Dr. Beale' s home in London, on Nov. 

 16, 1864. 

 Exp. of May 18. Viz. pea-meal and water. In this were found 



small organisms moving, as given by Dr. Beale in the . Z ; 



accompanying drawing marked Z. Their size was extremely ^ 



minute, as they are here drawn as they appeared under a 



power of 1 700. 



Exp. VII. Hay -f water + heated air. Some large 



dumbbell-shaped crystals and a few bacteriums, { 

 very minute, but not so small as in the former * 

 case. These also are drawn by Dr. Beale. 



VIII 

 Exp. VIII. The pair experiment to VII, Similar crystals, and 



organisms also similar, but larger. Drawn to ^ Ross, i. e. f 

 750 diameters nearly. *fl 



Exp. IX. Coarse flour + water + heated air. The result of this experiment 

 was unsatisfactory, and serves well to show the difficulty of the 

 decision upon these 'questions. 

 Even with the high powers above named, we were unable to be certain 



of our result in this and several following cases. There were no organisms 



distinctly recognizable as such, but many minute round spore-like bodies 



moving about the field. 



Exp. X. The fellow experiment to the last, and similarly unsatisfactory. 



Exp. XIII. Sage + water-)- heated air. A few crystals were seen, but 

 no organisms. 



Exp. XV. Celery + water + heated air. Some prismatic crystals; no 



organisms. 

 It was resolved to leave the rest of these experiments till a longer time 



should have elapsed since the vessels were closed. The examination was ac- 

 cordingly resumed Nov. 16. 



Exp. XII. Coarse flour + water -f heated air, contained some indeterminate 

 granular matter and some few bodies which might be dead bacte- 

 riums, but nothing that could safely be considered as such. 



Exp. XL The fellow experiment to XII., and equally without result. 



Exp. XIV. Sage + water + heated air, gave also no definite result. 



Now, omitting altogether the nitrogen experiments, seven in number, we 



