n 



316 



THE BEGINNINGS OF LIFE. 



Fungi on the one hand^ and by Bacteria and Vihrlcnes 



on the other. 



I am not aware of any experiments tending to show 

 that spores of Fungi can survive after exposure for even 

 a few seconds in fluids raised to the temperature of 

 boiling water (100'' C)^ whilst, on the other hand, 

 there is the concurrent testimony of many observers 

 to the fact that, after such exposure, germination 

 would never take place because the spores were no 

 longer living ^. This was the result obtained in many 

 experiments made by BuUiard, and related in his 

 'Histoire des Champignons.' Mere contact with 

 boiling water was found sufficient to prevent germi- 

 nation; and M. Hoffmann^ similarly ascertained that 

 an exposure for from four to ten seconds to the 

 influence of boiling water sufficed to prevent the 

 germination of all the Vungus spores with which he 



experimented. The experience 



of other observers 



has been similar to that above quoted, and amongst 



these we may cite M. Pasteur himself. 



Speakin 



(T 



of his experiments with boiled milk in Schwann's 

 apparatus, M. Pasteur 



says 



J 



traite autre 



jamais vu se 

 chose que des 



Mucedi 



former, dans le lait ainsi 

 Vibrions et des Bacteriur 



1 I have lately been informed, however, by Mr. Lowne, that he has 

 seen a minute fungus continue to grow, notwithstanding an immersion m 

 boiling water for two or three minutes. So far as I know, this is an 

 altogether unique observation which stands in need of confirmation. 



2 ' Bullet, de la Soc. Bot.' t. viii. p. 803. 



3 c 



Annal. de Chim. et de Physique/ 1862, p. 60. 



I 



I 



\ 



ttied many ^^'P 



seft-ers have, tl 

 s of Ban 



fations 



in 



fluid' 



tfc ; he say s ■ 

 tills the yeast c 

 k water they n 

 not cause ferm: 

 lite manner, ac 



is stopped whe 

 fcs not 



The e?idenc( 

 tenacity of 



auids whose 



isive as ths 



s obser 



recom 



in 



^ommo 



'' killed bv 



n wii 



yra 



"^s the 



m 



i ^^ - cit. 



»^;-*ns 



\%\ 



'C, 



' July 



