176 THE DESTRUCTIVE INFLUENCE OF 
include the time taken for the water of the digester 
(in which the closed flask was immersed) to attain 
this heat, and also again to cool down to 230° F., 
this flask was exposed to temperatures above 230° F. 
for ONE HOUR, as I myself .carefully noted at the 
time. When withdrawn from the digester the closed 
flask was kept at a temperature of 70-80° F. for 
eight weeks, and during part of this time it was 
exposed to the influence of direct sunlight. After 
it had been ascertained that the flask was free from 
all crack or fault, its neck was broken, in order that 
its contents might be examined. The reaction of the 
fluid was found to have become decidedly acid, and 
it had a sour though not fcetid odour, as though a 
fermentative process had been taking place in the 
solution. The fluid was very slightly turbid, and there 
was a well-marked sediment consisting of reddish- 
brown fragments, and of a light flocculent deposit. 
On microscopical examination the fragments were 
found to be portions of altered muscular fibre, whilst 
the flocculent deposit was composed for the most 
part of granular aggregations of Bacteria. In the 
portions of fluid and of deposit which were examined, 
there were thousands of Bacteria of most diverse 
shapes and sizes, either separate or aggregated into 
flakes. There were also a large number of monilated 
chains, of various lengths, of a kind very frequently 
