TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 123 
On LInfe in the Atmosphere. By J. SamvEnson. 
No subject in natural history, except the allied one, the origin of species, had of 
late excited greater interest in the scientific world than the origin of the lowest 
i ee of living beings on the globe ; and although the problem was far from being 
solved, yet the investigations that had accompanied the discussion had already 
served the useful purpose of throwing new light on the anatomy and life-history 
of the mysterious little forms of which it treated. It was rather with the latter 
object, than in the expectation of being able to assist in the solution of the general 
question, that the author ventured to lay before the Association the results of in- 
vestigations recently made. He had, for example, taken rags imported from various 
countries, and shaken the dust from them into distilled water, which he then exposed 
to the atmosphere; and after describing generally the character of the living forms 
_ he had discovered in this pure water, he stated in detail the forms of life found in 
each kind of dust, and among these were some new species of Rhizopoda and 
Infusoria, and an interesting ciliated worm-shaped form, originally a Vibrio, but 
which grew in dimensions until it assumed the appearance of a collection of the 
larvze of some other Infusoria. The general result of the microscopical examina- 
tion of these fluids between the 27th of July and 15th of August was as follows :— 
In the dust of Egypt, Japan, Melbourne, and Trieste, life was the most abundant, 
and the development of the different forms was rapid. He also described the infu- 
sorial forms found in pure distilled water after a few days’ exposure to the atmo- 
sphere. In conclusion, he observed that if he was correct in supposing the germs 
of the living forms that he had described to be present in the dust conveyed by the 
atmosphere, and in distilled water, it was worthy of notice that these germs retain 
vitality for a long period, of which he could not pretend to define the limit. In his 
experiments they outlived the heat of a tropical sun, and the dryness of a warm 
room during the whole of the winter; but in Dr. Pouchet’s case they retained their 
life 2000 years, for he obtained his from the interior of the pyramids of Egypt, 
and they survived an ordeal of 400° of heat. A main purpose which the author had 
in view was to disprove the theory of spontaneous generation; and he suggested 
whether the great rapidity with which these germs are multiplied might not account 
for the spread of epidemic diseases. He did not profess to have any acquaintance 
with such diseases ; but might it not be desirable to subject the atmosphere of hos- 
pitals to the microscopic test ? 
On the Dietary of the Lancashire Operatives. By Dr. E, Satu, F.R.S. 
Dr. Smith explained at some length an inquiry into the dietary of the Lanca- 
shire operatives made by him for the Government, with a view to show the 
minimum allowance of food to maintain health, and the most economical mode of 
expending the amount. The Report had just been eee ok in the Fifth Report 
of the Medical Officer of the Privy Council, and in the paper he showed—Ist, the 
amount and cost of nutriment which those populations obtained in times of plenty 
and scarcity, contrasting the amount in the same person under the two conditions ; 
2nd, the amount which should be allowed for food is 2s. 3d. to women, and 
2s. 6d. to men, weekly; 3rd, the formule for soups and other foods distributed to 
these classes; and 4th, numerous formule arranged by Dr. Smith to show how 
much nutriment could be obtained from ordinary foods for the sum allowed. 
On the Dietaries of the Labouring Classes. By Dr. E. Surru, F.RBS. 
In this paper Dr. Smith pointed out the value of various foods in relation to their 
cost and nutritive elements, and particularly the extreme value of bread, skimmed 
milk, and butter-milk in the dietary of the poorer classes. The carbon and nitrogen 
in the nutritive elements were alone selected, and the price of the foods was such 
as applied to the greater part of the country. The following table contains some 
of the results at which he arrived :— 
