122 VITALISM AND SCHOLASTICISM 



that, though the possibility of spontaneous 

 generation occurring cannot be excluded, there 

 is at least an overwhelming belief that there 

 is no evidence for its occurrence. 



The two latest attempts to dispute this con- 

 clusion must not be passed over without men- 

 tion. The first is that of the so-called radiobes 



Bastian produced by the late J. B. Burke* by the 

 action of radium upon beef bouillon. We need 

 not delay over these appearances since they 

 have been shown to be chemical in their char- 

 acter and to have nothing whatever to do with 

 life or its beginings. 



Burke Dr Charlton Bastian was one of Pasteur's 



antagonists during the time when the question 

 of biogenesis or abiogenesis was really a burning 

 one, and, even after the publication and general 

 acceptance of Pasteur's conclusions, he coura- 

 geously returned to the charge in a book t in 

 which he maintained that Pasteur gained the 

 victory by the aid of " illogical methods," a 

 statement which was not very complimentary 

 to the rest of the scientific world which had 

 been quite imposed upon by these same 

 methods. In this book he once more declared 

 that he had been able to produce living from 

 non-living materials. 



* The Origin of Life, 1906. 

 t The Evolution of Life, 1907. 



