APPENDIX. S35 



NOTE ON THE DEPORTMENT OP ALKALIZED 

 TRINE. 1 



The communication ' On the Influence of Liquor PotasssB 

 and an Elevated Temperature on the Origin and Growth 

 of Microphytes,' which, at Dr. Roberts's request, I have 

 had the pleasure of presenting to the Royal Society, causes 

 me to say earlier than I should otherwise have done that 

 the subject which has occupied Dr. Roberts's attention has 

 also occupied mine, and that my results are identical with 

 his. 



In some of the experiments the procedure described by 

 Dr. Roberts was accurately pursued, save in one particular 

 which has reference to temperature. Small tubes with 

 their ends finely drawn out were charged with a definite 

 amount of caustic potash, and subjected for a quarter of 

 an hour to a temperature of 220° Fahr. They were then 

 introduced into flasks containing measured quantities of 

 urine. The urine being boiled for five minutes, the flasks 

 were hermetically sealed during ebullition. They were 

 subsequently permitted to remain in a warm place suffi- 

 ciently long to prove that the urine had been perfectly 

 sterilized by the boiling. The flasks were then rudely 

 shaken, so as to break the capillary ends of the potash- 

 tubes and permit the liquor potassae to mingle with the 

 acid liquid. The urine thus neutralized was subsequently 

 exposed to a constant temperature of 122° Pahr., which 

 is pronounced by Dr. Bastian to be specially potent as 

 regards the generation of organisms. 



I have not found this to be the case ; for ten flasks, 



' From the Proceedings of the Eoyal Society, No. 176, 1876. 



