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enter. This was done six times for each sample, the water shaken 
each time, and the result examined. This was done with the 
same bottle that was used in my early experiments with perman- 
ganate, and by the same method, except that water instead of 
that salt was used. At first considerable numbers of moving 
particles were found ; but it was needful to examine the water 
used, and here occurred a difficulty. It was not until we had 
carefully treated with chemicals, and then with distilled water, 
again and again, that we could trust it. Particles seemed to 
rise with the vapour, and if so, why not with the evaporating 
water of impure places ? 
Having kept an assistant at the work for a week, and having my- 
self examined the air of three cow-houses, I came to the conclu- 
sion that the air of cow-houses and stables is to be recognised as 
containing more particles than the air of the street in which my 
laboratory is, and of the room in which I sit, and that it contains 
minute bodies, which sometimes move, if not at first, yet after a 
time, even if the bottle has not been opened in the interval. 
There is found in reality a considerable mass of debris with hairs 
or fine fibres, which even the eye, or at least a good pocket lens, 
can detect. After making about two dozen trials, we have not 
been able to obtain it otherwise. Even in the quiet office at the 
laboratory there seemed some indications. 
I found similar indications in a cow-house with healthy cows, 
so I do not pretend to have distinguished the poison of cattle 
plague in these forms ; but it is clear that where these exist 
there may be room for any ferment or fomites of disease, and I 
do not doubt that one class is the poison itself in its earliest 
stage. It would be interesting to develop it farther. 
I have recorded elsewhere that I condensed the liquid from 
the air of a flower garden, and found in it, or imagined I found, 
the smell of flowers. I do not remember that I looked much to 
the solid or floating particles, thinking them to be blown from 
the ground, but it does not affect the result whether they be found 
constantly in the air or are raised by the action of currents. 
“ Microscopical Examination of the Solid Particles from the 
Air of Manchester,” by J. B. Dancer, E.R.A.S. 
The air had been washed in distilled water, and the solid 
matter which subsided was collected in a small stoppered bottle, 
and on the 13th of this month Dr. Smith requested me to ex- 
amine the matter contained in this water. An illness prevented 
me from giving it so much attention as I could have wished. 
The water containing this air- washing was first examined with 
a power of 50 diameters only, for the pin-pose of getting a general 
knowledge of its contents ; afterwards magnifying powers varying 
from 120 to 1600 diameters were employed. 
During the first observations few living organisms were no- 
ticed ; but, as it afterwards proved, the germs of plant and animal 
life (probably in a dormant condition) were present. 
I will now endeavour to describe the objects found in this 
