4 MICKOBES, FERMENTS, AND MOULDS. 



cause of the more or less serious diseases which affect 

 animals or plants. Naturalists who regard these para- 

 sites as animals have termed them Microzoaria (from 

 two Greek words signifying small animals). Those 

 who regard them as plants have called them Micro- 

 phyta (small plants), and it is still disputed which 

 term is the most applicable to them. In other words, 

 it is still undecided whether they should be classed in 

 the animal or vegetable kingdom. 



It was at the Paris Academy of the Sciences, on 

 the llth of March, 1878, that Sedillot took part in one 

 of the probably interminable discussions between the 

 advocates of the Microzoaria and those of the Micro- 

 phyta, and he suggested, with the critical sense for 

 which he was distinguished, the word microbe, to 

 which it appeared to him that every one could give 

 their assent. 



In fact, the word microbe, which only signifies a 

 small living being, decides nothing as to the animal 

 or vegetable nature of the beings in question.* It has 

 been adopted by Pasteur, and approved by Littre, 

 whose competence to decide on neologisms is generally 

 admitted ; it has been in common use in France for 

 the last four or five years, and may now be regarded 

 as definitively adopted into the French language. 



This word has not yet been fully introduced into 



* Bechamp terms microbes microzyma, or small ferments, since the 

 chemical reactions which result from their vital activity are generally 

 fermentations. 



