Ferruary 28, 1907] 
NATURE 
this will focus the image on to the slit of the 3o0-feet 
spectroheliograph or that of the Littrow spectrograph ; 
both these instruments will be underground, and will there- 
fore be preserved at a fairly even temperature. 
To prevent its distortion, each mirror is to be 12 inches 
thick, and will be silvered on both sides, and, if necessary, 
heated on the back by reflected or direct sunlight. An 
electric motor will drive the photographic plate across the 
secondary slit of the spectroheliograph, and will by means 
of a vertical shaft impart a synchronous motion to the 
12-inch lens, and hence to the sun’s image. 
The Littrow spectrograph is to be fitted with an 8-inch 
plane grating, and will be employed in the study of the 
solar rotation and in the photography of sun-spot spectra. 
Tue Recent Larce Group oF Sun-srors.—Another 
large group of sun-spots visible to the naked eye—of which 
the solar maximum through which we have just passed 
has furnished an abnormal number—was observed during 
the former half of the present month. 
The first signs of this group appeared on February 6, 
when two small nuclei were seen on the eastern limb 
about 15° south of the equator, and these were followed 
by two similar spots on February:8. On February 9 a 
larger spot brought up the rear of the group, which then 
contained a large number of small umbre. In London, 
Photograph of sun taken ch, 47m. February 11, 1907. 
bad weather prevented the daily observation of the develop- 
ment of the group, but on February 11 it was easily visible 
to the naked eye, and was seen to have developed a second 
fairly large spot at its preceding extremity. The accom- 
panying reproduction is from a photograph taken at 
oh. 47m. on that date, and it may be seen that the pre- 
ceding spot was then the largest in the group, and had a 
peculiar kidney-like shape. The total affected area was 
then roughly rectangular, with a length of about 115,000 
miles and a breadth of about 55,000 miles. Naked-eye 
observations of two groups were possible on February 14. 
The larger group formed a striking spectacle on the western 
limb on February 18, but had disappeared from view when 
the sun was observed on the following day. 
Tue Spectroscopic Binary A ANDROMEDA.—From a 
number of spectrograms of A Andromedz, taken with the 
Mills spectrograph, 1897-8-9, a set of elements for the 
orbit of the binary has been computed by Mr. 
the Lick Observatory. 
Burns, of 
On comparing these elements with 
those determined from more recent spectrograms, taken 
with the re-mounted Mills spectrograph, it is seen that 
there are material differences which can only be reason- 
ably accounted for by the supposition that the orbit itself 
has been modified. The discrepancy, if established, will 
probably be found to be due to a third body in the system 
cf this star (Lick Observatory Bulletin, No. ros). 
NO. 1948, VOL. 75] 
THE GROWTH OF MICRO-ORGANISMS.’ 
HE author, early in the past year, began to make ex- 
periments on the origin-of- life question, with various 
saline solutions containing ammoniacal salts. After a time 
he found the best results were to be obtained with one or 
other of two solutions, one of which contained small 
quantities of sodium silicate, ammonium phosphate, and 
dilute phosphoric acid in distilled water, and the other a 
simple solution of sodium silicate with liquor ferri per- 
nitratis in distilled water. It was found, also, that with 
the use of these saline solutions exposure of the experi- 
mental vessels to diffuse daylight, with even a mean 
favoured the appear- 
even more 
of only 60° F. to 65° F., 
much as, or 
temperature 
ance of microorganisms quite as 
than, darkness associated with an incubator temperature 
of 95° Ee 
The solutions were placed in previously superheated 
tubes, which, after being hermetically sealed, were heated 
again in a calcium chloride bath to 239° F. (115° C.), 
248° F., 7° F., or 266° F. (130° C.), for ten to twenty 
minutes. In all these tubes, after the process of heating, 
either of silica alone or of silicate of 
The tubes were subsequently ex- 
a small deposit, 
iron, was thrown down. 
posed either to diffuse daylight or else in the incubater, 
and mostly for periods varying from five weeks to four 
months. When opened, the tubes were found to contain, 
in varying abundance, one or more kinds of micro- 
organisms, photographs of which were shown. 
One point of much interest in connection with these 
experiments is the fact that no carbon was ostensibly 
contained in the solutions, though its close chemical ally, 
silicon, was always present. 
It had previously been determined that such solutions 
proved excellent nourishing media for the growth of micro- 
and this fact led to trials whether any evidence 
tending to show that such solutions 
could also actually engender living units. On examination 
of the contents of the tubes after their prolonged periods 
of exposure to light or in the incubator, the organisms were 
organisms, 
was to be obtained 
always found, after careful search, on or within the sub- 
stance of the flakes of silica, while the fluid above re- 
mained perfectly clear. 
Many organic compounds have been discovered by 
chemists in which silicon wholly or in part replaces carbon, 
and it is contended that there is good prima facie evidence 
from these experiments tending to show that silicon is 
capable of entering into the composition of protoplasm itself 
—that is, wholly or in part taking the place of carbon. 
In regard to: the major question, concerning the origin 
of life itself, the facts to be borne in mind are these :— 
few hours after the heating of the tubes one or more 
of them be opened. as ‘‘ control ’’ experiments and the sedi- 
ment carefully examined, no organisms of any kind are 
to be found, but, after suitable periods of exposure, 
organisms may be found, in more or less abundance, in 
the sediment taken from other similar tubes. Here, then, 
is evidence that the organisms are living; they have 
appeared and multiplied within sealed tubes, though at 
earlier dates none is to be found. 
Then again, it is important to bear in mind (1) that, 
apart from “ spores ’’ of bacilli, no micro-organisms can 
resist an exposure of two or three minutes in boiling water, 
this being lethal for bacteria, vibriones, micrococci, torulz, 
and moulds; and (2) that all ordinary spores of bacilli are 
killed by a similar exposure for a minute or two to rate (Cr 
(239° F.). : be 
It is concluded, therefore, that the bacteria, bacilli, 
vibriones, micrococci, torula, and moulds which have 
been taken from hermetically-sealed tubes previously heated 
fommnsonGewertzo 1O), n25cG, ‘andi 1305 °C: for ten to 
twenty minutes must have been engendered de novo within 
these vessels. 
The organisms that arise de novo are presumed by the 
author to assume well-known forms, for precisely the same 
reason that the various representatives Et the crystalline 
world, when they originate, invariably fall into their own 
specific shapes, and with surfaces always inclined to one 
1 “On the de-novo Origin of Bacteria, Bacilli, Vibriones, Micrococci, 
Torule and Moulds in certain previously superheated Saline Solutions 
contained within hermetically sealed Tubes.” By Dr. H. Charlton 
Bastian, F.R.S. Read before the Royal Medical and Chirurgical 
Society on January 22. 
