THE BEGINNINGS OF LIFE. 263 



about twelve years ago. Since this time, and in France 

 more especially, the truth or falsity of the doctrine of 

 c spontaneous generation ' has formed the subject of a 

 most vigorous discussion. Its renewal was initiated in 

 1858 by the communication of a paper by M. Pouchet 

 to the Academic des Sciences of Paris, entitled c Note 

 sur des Proto-organismes vegetaux et animaux ne's 

 spontanement dans Tair artificiel et dans le gaz oxy- 

 gene.' The views and experiments of M. Pouchet 

 were warmly repudiated by men so distinguished as 

 MM. Milne-Edwards, de Quatrefages, Claude Bernard, 

 Dumas, Payen, and Lacaze Duthiers. Nevertheless, 

 Professor Mantegazza very shortly afterwards also com- 

 municated to the Academy of Sciences .the results of 

 his researches upon the generation of infusoria, which 

 he had previously laid before an Italian academy in 

 1852. The conclusions at which he had arrived agreed 

 almost perfectly with those of M. Pouchet ; and in 

 the following year the latter published his treatise on 

 c Heterogenie ',' in which much new matter was added 

 in support of his doctrines. But it would be in vain 

 for us now to attempt to follow out all the intricacies 

 of the discussions which have taken place since this 

 time 2 . Many of the most interesting points will be 



1 To this treatise we must refer those also who desire a more com- 

 plete historical sketch than we have deemed it necessary to give. 



2 This has been attempted by M. Pennetier, in a work entitled ' L'Ori- 

 gine de la Vie,' which, in addition to a sketch of the later stages of the 

 controversy up to the year 1869, contains a very complete list of works 

 and papers on the whole subject, arranged in chronological order. 



