suitable fluids, even in the course of a few hours. Observa- 
tions upon the organic particles of respired air had at 
different times been made by the author. 
1. In 1857 glass plates covered with glycerine had been 
exposed in different places and examined microscopically. 
Amongst others in the dome of the Borough Gaol, to which 
all the respired air in the building is conducted, organized par- 
ticles from the lungs and various fibres were found in this air. 
2. During a crowded meeting at the Free Trade Hall air 
from one of the boxes was drawn for two hours through 
distilled water, and the sediment examined after 86 hours. 
The following objects were noted : — fibres, separate cellules, 
nucleated cells, surrounded by granular matter, numerous 
epithetial scales from the lungs and skin. 
3. The dust from the top of one of the pillars was also 
examined, and in addition to other objects, the same epithe- 
tial scales were detected. 
4. Several of the specimens of fluid from the lungs were 
also searched with the microscope. In all of them epithe- 
tium in different stages of deterioration was abundantly 
present, but very few spores were found in any fresh speci- 
men. On the other hand after the fluid had been kept for 
a few hours myriads of vibriones and many spores were found- 
In a case of Diphtheria,, confervoid filaments were noticed, 
and in two other cases, 1 of Measles and 1 of Whooping 
Cough, abundant specimens of a small celled torula were 
found, and these were seen to increase in numbers for two 
days, after winch they ceased to develope. 
These differences in the nature of the bodies met with 
probably show some difference in the nature of the fluid 
given off ; but it w T as pointed out that they afford no proof 
as yet of the germ theory of disease. They simply show^ 
the readiness with which the aqueous vapour of the breath 
supports fermentation, and the dangers of bad ventilation, 
especially in Hospitals. 
Dr. E. Lund and Dr. H. Browne stated that they had 
also made experiments, the results of which were, in 
general, confirmatory of those obtained by Dr. Hansom e. 
