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was not until we had carefully treated with chemicals and 
then distilled the 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 myself examined the air of three cow-houses, I came 
to the conclusion that the air of cow-houses and stables is 
to be recognized 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 
develope 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, F.R.A.S. 
The air had been washed in distilled water, and the solid 
