Dumas on Spontaneous Generation. 407 
The two flasks were then placed in the same conditions, ex- 
posed to the light and to the ordinary temperature. After ten 
or twelve days, at the surface of the flask containing the ordi- 
nary air, vegetation was visible, a well-characterized mould, 
whilst in that which had received.the heated air the liquid re- 
mained perfectly limpid, and without any thing on its surface. 
ra-month the mould had much increased in the former, 
while nothing had appeared in the latter, except that the water 
had slightly lost its clearness. After six months (March 4, 1858) 
the mould remained stationary in the former, while in the other 
the liquid continued the same, without any trace of mould. 
The extremities of the two flasks were now broken under 
mercury. In the case of the one with heated air, considerable 
mercury was absorbed, but none in the other. The air of the 
two flasks being analyzed, no oxygen was found in either. The 
air from the flask with ordinary air contained 13-48 per cent of 
carbonic acid, that of the other, in which no mould had formed, 
12-43 per cent. 
he liquid of the flask with ordinary air had a putrid and 
very disagreeable odor, while the other had none. These liquids 
Were examined by Mr. Montagne; and our Associate ascertainé 
that the mould developed in the flask with ordinary air was the 
‘illum glaucum, which was in fall fructification ; in the 
other he found no trace of any vegetable or animal organism. 
It is plain that this experiment, like those which have been 
fore cited, is not favorable to the hypothesis of spontaneous 
eration, 
5. Remarks on the same occasion and subject by the chemist DUMAS. 
Dumas stated that he was in full agreement with his honorable 
ition the question on which Prof. Milne Edwards had instructed 
se Academy with so high authority, and he had arrived at pre- 
is experiments he has assured himself that organized mat- 
XS heated to 120° C. or 130° C. with water aruhaially = 2 by 
ns of hy drogen and oxyd of copper, and with arti og 
, 2 which had been recently heated to 
imalcules. On 
“a im, as he spo di 2 
germs of these plants and animalcules might be distributed in 
¢ 
