VITALITY OF PUTREFACTIVE ORGANISMS. 179 



latter on the 20th of March ; each infusion was boiled 

 for five minutes after its introduction. 



Let us compare results and draw conclusions. At a 

 distance of eight yards from the shed, viz. in the labora- 

 tory, infusions both of beef and cucumber refused to 

 be sterilized by three hours' boiling. Indeed I have 

 samples of both infusions which have borne five hours' 

 boiling and developed multitudinous life afterwards. 

 But the upshot of this experiment in the disinfected 

 shed is, that every tube of the two chambers, though 

 boiled for only five minutes, contains an infusion which, 

 at the present hour, is as limpid as the purest distilled 

 water. 



What shall we say, then? is the infusion in the 

 laboratory endowed with a generative force denied to 

 the same infusion in the shed ? Irrespective of the 

 condition of the air, can a linear space of eight yards 

 produce so remarkable a difiference ? It is only the 

 confusion of mind still prevalent in relation to this sub- 

 ject that renders such a question necessary. Let me 

 add that it suffices simply to wave a bunch of hay in 

 the air of the shed to make it as infective as the labora- 

 tory air. Even the unprotected head of my assistant 

 when his body was carefully covered sufficed in some 

 cases to carry the infection. 



If anything were needed to illustrate the extra- 

 ordinary care necessary on the part of physicians and 

 surgeons, both as regards the clothes they wear and the 

 instruments they use, such illustrations are copiously 

 furnished by the facts brought to light in this inquiry. 



