64 
FRANK 8. BILLINGS. 
was examined under the microscope on another table in the oppo¬ 
site part of the room, and as my two highest objectives are 
immersion lenses, I had to use water, and had a tumbler full of 
clean water (!) on my table just drawn from the well. When 
through with my work, instead of pouring the water out, I placed 
the tumbler on another table, about four feet distant from the 
filtering apparatus. 
Next morning I went to Chicago to return on the 30th. In 
Chicago I procured a new immersion lens, and about the first 
thing I did after my return was to try that lens. 
Finding everything undisturbed in my room, and the tumbler 
with water exactly where I placed it, and not intending to examine 
but a test object, 1 did not go for fresh water, but used a drop of 
the water in the tumbler. 
While adjusting the focus I discovered that the water, which I 
knew had been absolutely free from organic matter (! ! !) was 
swarming with bacilli and bacillus germs of the same kind as 
those in the pulmonal effusion,” p. 383, Ibid, 1879. 
Detmers then assumes that, as the above mentioned filter 
paper had dried, and during his three days’ absence, that the 
germs in or on it had got into the air of his work-room and 
fallen into the tumbler of water, which had been drawn from the 
well, and which to a dead certainty contained micro-organism 
when it was drawn; it was then placed in a tumbler originally 
used for the purpose, which also had the same organisms on its 
sides to an equal certainty and left exposed to the air of his or¬ 
dinary work-room for three days, which was still more certainly 
contaminated with any desired mixture of such organisms. 
Again he says: 
“ On September 23 Prof. B. charged two drachms of fresh 
cow milk with a mere speck, smaller than a pin’s head, of a decay¬ 
ing morbid growth, or ulcerous tumor, of the coecum of pig No. 5, 
and kept the vial closed at a temperature of 92° F. 
On the evening of September 20 the milk was examined under 
the microscope, and found to contain numerous bacillus suis and 
bacillus germs, the same as found in the blood serum or exuda¬ 
tions of diseased lungs, and in the decaying substance of the in¬ 
testinal growths.” 
