186 ON AIR FROM OFF THE MID-ATLANTIC. 



The organic matter, apart from the carbonic acid, is a 

 subject still requiring much labour. On the windows in 

 the upper part of the court there were streams of liquid ; 

 the hot vapour rising up in the court was cooled on the 

 large surface of glass, and two or three ounces of the liquid 

 were readily obtained. Many years ago I had examined 

 this liquid, and found that it nourished microscopic vege- 

 tables and animalcules ; when working with mine air, it was 

 found that it had a strong smell of perspiration. In this 

 case there was no mistaking the odour. The liquid was 

 not purely from the air of the court, it had washed the 

 windows, and of course taken dust with it and some soot. 

 It would have been much better if the condensation had 

 been effected in a purer vessel by means of ice, which I 

 hope to do. Nevertheless this liquid showed its origin 

 with distinctness. 



It contained a considerable amount of organic matter, 

 some of it of a fatty kind. When examined with a micro- 

 scope, it showed numberless floating bodies ; most of them 

 looked like separate cells, some of them with central spots, 

 indicating organic structure ; but I was not able distinctly 

 to identify any as being exactly similar to any either in the 

 ' Micrographic Dictionary ' or Pritchard^s volume. 



I do not suppose that any of these germs came from the 

 breath or perspiration of individuals in court, but I mean to 

 say that they would find nourishment there, and might 

 probably increase. The existence of these germs in that 

 place, although not taken from the air, shows them to have 

 been carried by the air, and if so, capable of entering our 

 lungs, depositing themselves in all places, and carrying 

 out their character, whether that be for good or evil. It 

 will be readily seen that merely to refill a room with air is 

 not ventilation where much of this matter exists. It can be 

 removed only by abundant streams of air acting for a long 

 time. If the house is shut up, the matter grows till the 



