Mr. F. Crace-Calvert on Protoplasmic Life. 65 



1870, being still free from life on the 7th of December, was intro- 

 duced by the siphon H into twelve small tubes, and left exposed to 

 the atmosphere for fifteen hours, when the tubes were closed. Every 

 eight days some of the tubes were opened, and their contents examined. 

 On the fifteenth, therefore, the first examination was made, when no 

 life was observed ; on the twenty-third two or three other tubes were 

 examined, and again no life was detected ; whilst in the series opened 

 on the 2nd of January, 1871 (that is to say, twenty-four days from 

 the time the tubes were closed), two or three black vibrios were found 

 in each field. 



Being impressed with the idea that this slow and limited deve- 

 lopment of protoplasmic life might be attributed to the small amount 

 of life existing in the atmosphere at this period of the year*, a second 

 series of experiments was commenced on the 4th of January. The 

 distilled water in the flask being still free from life, a certain quantity 

 of it was put into twelve small tubes, which were placed near putrid 

 meat at a temperature of 21° to 26° C. for two hours, and then sealed. 

 On the 10th of the same month the contents of some of the tubes were 

 examined, when two or three small black vibrios were observed under 

 each field. This result shows that the fluid having been placed near 

 a source of protoplasmic life, germs had introduced themselves in two 

 hours in sufficient quantity for life to become visible in six days in- 

 stead of twenty-four. Other tubes of this series were opened on the 

 17th of January, when a slight increase of life was noticed; but 

 no further development appeared to take place after this date, as some 

 examined on the 10th of March did not contain more life than those 

 of the 1 7th of January. 



This very limited amount of life suggested the idea that it might 

 be due to the employment of perfectly pure water, and that the 

 vibrios did not increase from want of the elements necessary for sus- 

 taining their life. I therefore commenced a third series of experi- 

 ments. Before proceeding to describe this series, I would call atten- 

 tion to the fact that the water in the flask had remained perfectly free 

 from life up to this time, a period of close on sixteen weeks. 



On the 9th of February 100 fluid grains of albumen from anew-laid 

 egg were introduced, as quickly as possible and with the greatest 

 care, into 10 ounces of pure distilled water contained in the flask 

 in which it had been condensed and an atmosphere of hydrogen 

 kept over it. On the 16th some of the fluid was taken out by 

 means of the siphon H, and examined ; and no life being present, 

 twelve tubes were filled with the fluid, exposed to the air for eight 

 hours, and closed. On the 2 1 st the contents of some of the tubes were 

 examined, when a few vibrios and microzymas were distinctly seen in 

 each field. On the 27th other tubes were examined, and showed a 

 marked increase in the amount of life. In this series life appeared 



*■ During tlie intense cold of December and January last I found it took an 

 exposure to the atmosphere of two days at a temperature of 12° C. before life 

 appeared in solution of white of egg in the pure distilled water, whilst as the 

 weatlicr got warmer tlie time required became less. 



Ann. d' Mag. N. lUsf. Ser. 4. Vol. viii. 5 



