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THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. [February 18,1871. 
of water collected at the Cemoy Springs near Cirencester; 
it remained clear for eight days and was then mixed 
with traces of amnionic nitrate and sodic phosphate; it 
continued turbid, and soon became filled with swarms of 
vibrios and fine branching tubular fungoid threads; the 
water subsequently became brownish and emitted a very 
offensive odour. 
These experiments show that potable waters, which 
stand the sugar test perfectly, become entirely changed 
in their behaviour with this test when mixed with traces 
of amnionic nitrate and sodic phosphate; and the fol¬ 
lowing experiments prove that it is the phosphoric salt 
which alters their behaviour in this respect:— 
A sample of the Lambeth Company’s water, mixed 
with sugar, remained perfectly clear for nineteen days : 
amnionic nitrate was then added; after the lapse of 
several weeks the clearness of the sample had not been 
disturbed. 
Canterbury deep well-water, softened by Clark’s pro¬ 
cess, remained perfectly clear during twenty-three days 
after admixture with sugar; traces of nitrate of am¬ 
monia were then added. After the lapse of two months, 
it was perfectly transparent and unchanged. 
Thus it is evident that the addition of minute traces 
of a phosphate, either as sodic phosphate, white of egg, 
or animal charcoal, at once determines these fungoid 
growths in saccharine water, which before exhibited no 
tendency to develope them. 
The next question to be determined was, are the 
germs of these organisms contained only in the waters 
which develope fungoid growths, or are they present in 
the atmosphere ? The answer was given by the following 
experiment:— 
Small quantities of potassic chloride, amnionic nitrate, 
sodic phosphate and sugar were dissolved in distilled 
■water, previously boiled for many hours with caustic 
soda and potassic permanganate, and afterwards again 
distilled. Just before solution the solid ingredients 
were strongly heated in a platinum spoon over the flame 
of a spirit-lamp; the potassic chloride and sodic phos¬ 
phate to redness, the amnionic nitrate until a consider¬ 
able proportion had decomposed into nitrous oxide and 
water, the sugar until, after melting, it began to turn 
brown. This solution was placed in a stoppered bottle. 
After a few days’ exposure to a temperature varying 
between 60° and 70° F., a magnificent mycelium of the 
characteristic description began to grow, soon followed 
by several others. The liquid was also crowded with 
very minute moving organisms, probably monads. A 
specimen of real sewer fungus was found to be very 
similar in appearance, but more transparent and some- 
what smaller. 
It is thus evident that the purest water which can be 
obtained in contact with the air yields splendid crops of 
this sewage mycelium, if it be supplied with the neces¬ 
sary soil, and further, that the sugar and salts just named 
contain all the elements necessary for its development. 
Phosphorus is essential, for, in a solution made at the 
same time, exposed to the same conditions and containing 
the same substances, minus tlic sodic phosphate , no trace 
of mycelium or of any other organism made its appear¬ 
ance during nine weeks. 
The presence of germs in a sample of water is therefore 
insufficient in itself to produce Mr. Heisch’s reaction 
when sugar is added. A short (probably a momentary) 
■contact with air is sufficient to impregnate any sample 
•of water with the necessary germs, which develope on 
the addition of sugar only in the presence of a phosphate. 
The reaction is, in fact, an exceedingly delicate test for 
phosphoric acid. It would probably defy the powers of 
the most expert chemist to detect, in two ounces of water, 
the phosphoric acid introduced by the addition of a single 
drop of a dilute solution of albumen; yet these atmo¬ 
spheric germs find it out, appropriate it, and by their 
growth, reveal its presence. 
Professor Frankland then described some experiments 
in which water, sugar, sewage matter and the necessary 
salts, were kept in dark or obscure places at the tem¬ 
perature of the body. He found that these conditions 
were favourable for the development of bacteria, vibrios 
and similar organisms, but unfavourable for fungoid 
growth. 
As the result of his experiments, Professor Frankland 
has arrived at the following conclusions:— 
1 . Potable water mixed with sewage, urine, albumen 
and certain other matters, or brought into contact with 
animal charcoal, subsequently develope fungoid growths 
when small quantities of sugar are dissolved in them and 
they are exposed to a summer temperature. 
2. The germs of these organisms are present in the 
atmosphere, and every water contains them after momen¬ 
tary contact with the air. 
3. The development of these germs cannot take place 
without the presence of phosphoric acid, or a phosphate 
or phosphorus in some form of combination. Water, 
however much contaminated, if free from phosphorus, 
does not produce them. A German philosopher has 
said “ ohne Phosphor hem Gedanhe." The above experi¬ 
ments warrant the alteration of this dictum to “ ohne 
Phosphor (jar Icein LebenP 
ONTARIO COLLEGE OF PHARMACY. 
At the Ordinary Monthly Meeting, held on the 13th 
of January, the Legislative Committee reported that 
they had interviewed the Hon. Attorney-General and 
several other members of the Legislature, and that there 
seemed to be a general opinion in favour of the Bill, 
with the exception of Clause 27, into which a provision 
has been introduced for regulating the sale of proprietary 
medicines that has caused great opposition. 
Mr. Elliott thought that a modification of the clause 
was advisable; yet there ought to be some provision to 
prevent the putting up of laudanum and other dangerous 
drugs under other names, and scattering them broadcast 
over the country. This, he thought, might he done 
without interfering with the sale of legitimate patent 
medicines. 
Mr. Makgach moved an amendment, authorizing the 
Committee on Legislation to withdraw the clause, as he 
felt convinced that an attempt to carry it would imperil 
the Bill itself. It would be better to get the Act first, 
and, at some future time, a well-digested scheme for 
protecting the public from dangerous secret remedies 
might be introduced. 
Mr. Milled, in supporting the amendment, said that 
it was certainly a very arbitrary proceeding to compel 
every proprietor of a patent medicine to send the for¬ 
mula to the Registrar. He felt sure that it could never 
be carried out. 
The amendment was carried. 
During a discussion on the Poison Schedule, which is 
similar to that in the English Act, Mr.. Millek said that 
paregoric, being an article of such common use, ought to 
be made an exception to the articles in Class 2. 
This suggestion was adopted, and a committee in¬ 
structed to carry out these alterations when the Bill 
again came before the Legislature. 
MEETINGS FOR THE ENSUING WEEK. 
Monday . Medical Society, at 8 p.m. 
London Institution, at 4 p.m. —“The First 
Principles of Biology ” (Educational 
Course). By Prof. Huxley. 
Tuesday . Loyal Institution, at 3 p.m. —“The Nutri¬ 
tion of Animals.” By Professor Foster. 
Wednesday ...Society of Arts, at 8 p.m. — “Water Meters.” 
By Frederick E. Bodkin. 
Thuksday . Loyal Society, at 8.30 p.m. 
Loyal Institution, at 3 p.m. — “Davy’s Dis¬ 
coveries in Chemistry.” By Prof. 0 tiling. 
