1873.] of 'Bacteria in Organic Infusions. 355 



chance of failure in that respect. Thirdly, it had not occurred to us to 

 make use of vessels in these experiments of a form so inconvenient and 

 difficult to thoroughly guard against effects of " spluttering," and to 

 thoroughly heat by boiliug, as the retort. Nor could we guess, in the 

 absence of any directions on that point from Dr. Bastian, that it was 

 desirable to exclude the rind of the turnip from the preparation of the 

 infusion. The correspondence in ' Nature,' however, indicated that 

 " pounded " cheese (necessarily in a condition of solid lumps) was added 

 (in some cases) to his experimental vessels after the turnip-infusion, and 

 was present during ebullition. It also appeared that retorts capable of 

 holding two ounces were the vessels used ; whilst, on grounds not given, 

 it was considered advantageous by Dr. Bastian to peel the turnips 

 before slicing them. 



The following experiments were accordingly made : — 



An infusion of turnip (minus the rind) was prepared and filtered ; 

 it had sp. gr. 1012-7. In the experiments Nos. 34 to 47 two-ounce retorts 

 were used, and the bulb half filled with the experimental infusion. 



No. 34. The infusion neutralized with KHO. About two grains of 

 pounded cheese in pellets added to the retort. 



Nos. 35, 36. Infusion not neutralized. About two grains of pounded 

 cheese in pellets added to the retort. 



Nos. 37, 38, 39. The simple infusion. 



No. 40. The simple infusion, to which were added a few drops of an 

 emulsion of cheese prepared with some of the turnip-infusion and new 

 cheese, the emulsion having been filtered. 



No. 41. The simple infusion. 



Nos. 34 to 40 were boiled for five minutes ; they were then preserved in 

 the air-bath at a temperature of 35° C, and sealed approximately during 

 ebullition. Four of them, including No. 36, were subjected to a further 

 boiling of fifteen minutes in a water-bath after sealing. 



No. 41 was boiled for five minutes and placed on a shelf with its 

 mouth open. 



Subsequent appearances in Retorts Nos. 34-41. 



On Feb. 15th Nos. 34, 35, 37 were opened and found to be perfectly 

 sweet and free from a development of Bacteria or other organisms. 



No. 41 was observed to be perfectly limpid, and is so still (March 17th). 



On Feb. 27th Nos. 36, 38, 39, and 40 were opened. With the excep- 

 tion of No. 36, they were perfectly sweet and free from organisms. 



No. 36 had a slightly foetid odour and swarmed with rather long 

 Bacteria — that is, Bacteria longer than the common B. termo, which develops 

 in infusions open to atmospheric air, but not quite of the form of the 

 Bacillus suhtilis of the butyric fermentation, which is stated to appear in 

 some infusions, e. g. milk, to which the access of atmospheric air has 

 been entirely prevented. It is to be noticed that in this series the only 

 retort in which Bacteria made their appearance was one of those in 



