JounmWirT^^^^ NEW BOOKS, WITH SHORT NOTICES. 183 
PeniciUium, and Ascophora, and Aspergillus.'' The argument here 
being, that though the spores of these ferment-plants are easily- 
recognized, M. Pasteur has not demonstrated their existence in 
the air, though he asserts that they are floating in thousands in the 
atmosphere. 
In his chapter entitled the " Last Eefuge of the Panspermists," 
the author criticises a number of M. Pasteur's experiments, and 
turns the tables against his opponents. Here, quoting M. Pouchet, 
he points out (p. 259) a suggestive fact, which, whatever its real 
explanation, is at all events in direct opposition to the supposition 
that the germs of Infusoria are derived from the atmosphere. 
" Decisive experiments," says M. Pouchet, " have demonstrated 
to me that by placing the same air in contact successively with 
different substances, these latter, turn by turn, produce quite 
distinct groups of plants. And these curious researches may be 
prolonged to any degree, for they are limited only by a chemical 
alteration of the air." A cubic centimetre of air was successively 
(by means of suitable contrivances) placed in contact with a mace- 
ration of flesh, and it produced monads ; with a maceration of 
asparagus, and it produced bacteria; with .a maceration of hay, 
and it produced Koljoodce ; and, finally, with a maceration of 
glue, and it produced PeniciUium " Further on, attention is 
directed to Pasteur's absurd objection, referred to by Dr. Bennett 
(vide supra), that the necks of the flasks in the mountain experi- 
ments were not broken properly ; and the author shows that the 
experiments, when repeated under Pasteur's conditions, gave 
the same results as at first. We have, however, said enough to 
show that this volume is worthy of notice by all, whether advo- 
cates or opponents, who are interested in this great question. 
One of the most useful features in the volume is the copious 
Bibliography in the Appendix. This is a very carefully prepared 
list of the works of foreign writers on the subject of Spontaneous 
Generation. 
DelV Anatomia Sottile dei CorpuscoU Pacinici deV Uomo. Ed. Altri 
Mammiferi E. Degli Ucelli con consider azione Esperimeniali In- 
torno Al Loro Ufficio dell Dottore G. V. Ciaccio, Professore 
di Fisiologia Nella R. Universita di Parma. Torino Stamperia 
Reale, 1868. — There is still unquestionably a good deal to be 
made out as to the relation of the nerves to the Pacinian bodies, 
and, indeed, as to the functions of these bodies themselves ; but 
we do not think that Professor Ciaccio, who has very courteously 
presented us with a copy of his excellent memoir, has cleared 
away all our difficulties. Still the monograph of the Italian 
Professor, while it supplies us with very little more of detail 
than is given in Mr. Bowman's capital article in ' Todd's Cyclo- 
pasdia,' is nevertheless a most comprehensive account of the whole 
subject. It is divided into several sections. First, we have the 
history of the discovery of these corpuscles ; then comes an 
account of the different fluids for mounting specimens ; such as 
ammoniacal aqueous solution of carmine, glycerine and acetic 
