CONDITIONS FAVOURING FERMENTATION. 



77 



seven instances, and placed in a dry heat which was raised to 

 121° C. It was then slow^ly cooled and distilled water allowed to 

 insert itself by capillary attraction. On examination, all the 

 adult forms were absolutely destroyed, and no spore could be 

 definitely identified. But after having been kept moist in the 

 growing stage for some hours, and watched with the gL^-, gelatinous 

 points were seen in two out of the seven cases, which were recog- 

 nized as exactly like an early stage of the developing sporule, 

 which were watched till they had reached the small flagellate state 

 shown in fig. 5, pi. xxvi. The remaining five were barren of re- 

 sult." Other observations were detailed in a subsequent number 

 of the same Journal * ; but that above quoted is typical as regards 

 the method, aud not far from typical as regards the results, which 

 may fairly be described as eminently contradictory in nature. 

 All the observations which these experimenters record I have 

 tabulated, so that it may be seen what their evidence really 

 amounts to : — 



Survival 

 of Sjpores. 



On 3 slides out of 6. 

 On 2 slides out of 7. 



Survival 

 of Sporules. 



On 3 slides out of 6. 

 No observations made. 



Statement of results not precise, uncertain whether 

 both germs and sporules developed in only 1 or 

 in 4 out of 5 slides. 



On 2 slides out of 6. 



On 3 slides out of 6. 



Nature of 

 Heat-exposure. 



93°-33 C. 

 (200° F.) 

 for ten minutes. 

 " Raised to 

 121° 0." 

 121°11 0. 

 (250° F.) 

 for ten minutes. 

 " Heated up to 

 148°-88 0." 

 (300° F.). J 



The authors say that these " are only typical results of a larger 

 series of experiments." They are perhaps more typical than sig- 

 nificant : they are assuredly very perplexing. "Why, with such 

 apparent uniformity of conditions, should there be so much discord 

 in results ? These remarkable sporules would seem to be better 

 able to withstand a momentary exposure to a temperature of 

 148° C. than one of the same duration to 121° C, and just as well 

 able to bear this heat as an exposure for ten minutes to the very 

 different temperature of 93°-30 C. 



But why should the authors have deliberately thrown an elc- 

 * March 1874, p. 99. 



