58 ; 
NATURE 
| May 18, 1871 

were observed under each field, This result shows that the fluid 
having been placed near a source of protoplasmic lite, germs had 
become impregnated in two hours in sufficient quantity for life to 
become visible in six days instead of twenty-four. Other tubes 
of this series were opened on the 17th of January, when aslight 
increase of life was noticed ; but no further development appeared 
to take place after this date, as some examined on the roth of 
March did not contain more life than those of the 17th of 
January. 
This very limited amount of life naturally suggested the idea 
that it might be due to the employment of perfectly pure water, so 
that Mr. Calvert commenced a third series of experiments. 
On the oth of February 100 fluid grains of albumen from a 
new-laid egg were introduced as quickly as possible and with 
the greatest care, into ten 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 a siphon 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 21st the contents of 
some of the tubes were examined, when a few vibrios and micro- 
zyma 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, in which a fermentable substance was em- 
ployed, life appeared in five days, and an increase in ten, instead 
of requiring twenty-four days, as was the case when pure water 
only was employed. 
As the weather had become much warmer, and a marked in- 
crease of life in the atmosphere had taken place, some of the 
same albumen solution as had been employed in the above ex- 
periments was left exposed in similar tubes to its influence, when 
a large quantity of life was rapidly developed, and continued to 
increase. This resultappears to show that the increase of life 
is not due to reproduction merely, but to the introduction of 
fresh germs ; for, excepting this fresh supply, there appears to 
be no reason why life should increase more rapidly in the open 
than in the closed tubes. 
‘* Action of Heat on Protoplasmic Life,” by F. Crace Calvert, 
F.R.S. 
Those investigators of germ-life who favour the theory of 
spontaneous generation, have assumed that a temperature of 
212° Fahr., or the boiling-point of the fluid which they experi- 
mented upon, was sufficient to destroy all protoplasmic life, and 
that the life they subsequently observed in these fluids was 
developed from non-living matter. 
I therefore made several series of experiments, in the hope 
that they might throw some light on the subject. 
To carry out the experiments I prepared a series of small 
tubes made of very thick and well-annealed glass, each tube 
about four centimetres in length, and having a bore of five milli- 
metres. The fluid to be operated upon was introduced into 
them, and left exposed to the atmosphere for sufficient length of 
time for germ-life to be largely developed. Each tube was then 
hermetically sealed and wrapped in wire gauze, to prevent any 
accident to the operator in case of the bursting of any of the 
tubes. They were then placed in an oil-bath, and gradually 
heated to the required temperature, at which they were main- 
tained for half an hour. 
Sugar Solution.—A solution of sugar was prepared. by dis- 
solving one part of sugar in ten parts of water. This solution 
was made with common water, and exposed all night to the 
atmosphere, so that life might impregnate it. The fluid was 
prepared on the tst of November, 1870, introduced into tubes on 
the 2nd, and allowed toremain fivedays. Onthe 7th of Novem- 
ber twelve tubes were kept without being heated, twelve 
were heated to 200° Fahr., twelve to 300°, and twelve to 400° 
Fahr. 
The contents of the tubes were microscopically examined on 
the 1st of December, twenty-four days after heating. 
In the sugar solution which was not heated there were about 
thirty animalcules under each field of the microscope, principally 
small black vibrios ; two or three microzymes swimming slowly 
about ; three or four ordinary swimming vibrios, and a few 
bacteria. In that which was heated for half an hour at 212 
F., a great portion of the life had disappeared, and no 
animalcules were swimming. Four or five small black vibrios 
were observed moving energetically to and fro; two or three 
ordinary vibrios were also observed moving energetically 2 the 
same position of the field, thatis, without swimming about. Heated 
for half an hour at 300° F. the sugar was slightly charred, but 


one or two ordinary vibrios, and one or two small black vibrios 
were observed in motion under the field of the microscope. In 
the solutions heated to the higher temperatures there was no trace 
of organisms. 3 
Remarks.—The black vibrios here referred to are far more 
opaque than the other varieties of vibrios, and are the most im- 
portant of all, as I have found them to resist not only very high 
temperatures, but all chemical solutions. I shall, in my paper 
on putrefaction and the action of antiseptics, describe the 
various vibrios, and give various drawings of them. j 
Hay Infusion.—An infusion of hay was made by macerating 
it in common water for one hour, then filtering the liquor, and 
leaving it exposed to the atmosphere all night, when it was seal 
in the small tubes, twelve of which were used for each experi- 
ment. The infusion was made on the 4th of November, sealed 
in tubes on the 5th, and heated on the 7th. H 
The results were examined on the Ist of December, 1871, 
twenty-four days after being heated. 
The hay infusion not heated contained ‘‘ fungus matter” and 
other low organisms. The tubes, which were heated to 212° F. and 
300° F., contained a few small ‘‘ black vibrios,” [but whether they — 
were living or dead is not stated]. The tubes exposed to higher 
temperatures showed no trace of organisms. ; 
Gelatine Solution.—A solution of gelatine, prepared of such 
strength that it remained liquid on cooling, was exposed for 
twenty-four hours to the atmosphere. It was then introduced 
into the small tubes, and the tubes sealed. The solution was 
made on the 4th of November, the tubes sealed on the 5th, and 
subjected to the different temperatures on the 7th. 
The fluids were examined on the Ist of December, 1871, 
twenty-four days after being heated. 
In the gelatine solution which was not heated, there were 
seven or eight animalcules under each field, five or six of which 
were quite different from anything observed in the other fluids, 
They had long thin bodies, swimming with a peristaltic motion. 
One or two ordinary swimming vibrios were also present ; but 
the small black vibrios were absent. In the gelatine solution 
heated for half an hour at 100° F., the organisms ceased to ex- 
hibit any active movements ; and in that which was heated for 
half an hour at 212° F., a very decided diminution in the quan- 
tity of life present was noticed __In the solutions heated to the © 
higher temperatures no life was found. } 
Putrid Meat Fluid.—Water was placed in an open vessel, 
and a piece of meat suspended in it until it became putrid and 
contaminated with myriads of animalcules. This fluid was 
placed in the usual tubes, which were sealed on the 7th Novem- 
ber, and heated on the same day. 
The contents of the tubes were subjected to examination on 
the 1st of December, or twenty-four days after having been 
heated. 
In the solution which was not heated, a large quantity of life 
was present, namely, microzyma and several distinct species of 
vibrios, among which were a number of the small black ones 
frequently mentioned. In that which was heated for half an 
hour at 100° F., this temperature had but slightly affected the life 
present, the animalcules being as numerous as in the liquid not 
heated, and not moving as usual. In that which was heated for 
half an hour at 212° F., although heat had deprived the animal- 
cules of the power of locomotion, still they retained a sufficient 
amount of vital force to ‘‘ place it beyond a doubt that life was 
not destroyed.” In that which was heated for half an hour at 
300° F. a large quantity of the life in the fluid was destroyed, 
but some vibrios still remained, the small black ones being the 
most numerous. In the solutions exposed to the higher tem- 
peratures there was no trace of organisms. 
Although perfectly aware of the interesting researches of Prof. 
Melsens, proving that the most intense cold does not destroy the 
active power of vaccine lymph, still I thought it desirable to 
ascertain the effect of a temperature of 15° F. on well-developed 
germ-life, similar to that which had been subjected to the action 
of heat. 
Some putrid-meat liquor, therefore, containing a large quantity 
of microzyma and vibrios, was subjected for twenty hours to 
the influence of a temperature ranging between the freezing-point 
of water and 17° below that point, when the ice was melted, and 
the liquer examined. The animalcules retained their vitality, 
but appeared very languid, and their power of locomotion was 
greatly decreased. Two hours after melting the ice the liquor 
was again examined, when the animalcules appeared to be as 
energetic as before. 
