THE BEGINNINGS OF LIFE. 441 



of no importance, and does not in the least affect their 

 value. 



Solutions exposed in airless and hermetically sealed flasks to 

 27o-275/ T (i32-i 3 5C) for twenty minutes, and sub- 

 sequently maintained at a temperature of 7o-8o F. These 

 flasks were also exposed to direct sunlight for eight days*. 



Experiment a. A strong infusion of turnip, rendered 

 very faintly alkaline by liquor potassx, to which a few 

 muscular fibres of a cod-fish were added. 



When taken from the digester the fluid was found to 

 have assumed a pale brownish colour. The flask was 

 kept in a warm place, in addition to being exposed to 

 direct sunlight. The vacuum having been ascertained 

 to be partially preserved, the neck of the flask was 

 broken two months after the date of its preparation. 

 The reaction of the fluid was then decidedly acid, and 

 the odour (differing altogether from that of mere baked 

 turnip) was sour, though not at all foetid. The fluid 

 was very slightly turbid, and there was a well-marked 

 sediment consisting of reddish-brown fragments, and a 

 light flocculent deposit. On microscopical examination, 

 the fragments were found to be portions of altered mus- 

 cular fibre, whilst the flocculent deposit was composed, 



1 The solutions and flasks were exposed to a temperature of from 

 iio-i35C for one hour, if we include the twenty minutes' exposure, 

 and also the period which elapsed till the fluid in the digester cooled 

 down to 1 10 C. The subsequent exposure to direct sunlight was, for 

 several hours daily, during some very fine weather in the month of March. 



