The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1870-01-28
Microscopic W1ossese,'s.

larticlesJ floating in the Atmosphere. What il
found in the Air zee breathe. '-
Mr.. J. B. Dancer recently made micro.
scopical examination of the solid particles
found in 2, 4O5 litrcs OF the air Of Mancl,es-
ter, England, by DR.: Angus Smith. The
air had been washed in distilled water, and
the solid mater which subssded was collected
in small stoppcrcd bottle. The water con.
tanning the air-washing was first examined
by Dr.. Dancer with power of 80 diametres
only, for tho purpose Of getting q general
knowledge of its contents. Afterwards
magnifying powers varying from 12o to
1000 diametres were employed. During the
first observations few living organisms were
noticed, but As it was afterwards proved, the
germs of plant and animal life probably in
. dormant condition) were present. Fun.
gold matter was most abundant. Spores or
sporidie appeared in numbers, and TO A..
ccrtain, Is nearly Is possible, the numerical
proportion of these minute bodies In sin.
gle drop of the fuid, the contents of the bot
tie were well shaken, aid then one drop was
taken up with pipcttc this was spread out
by compression into circle half IN inch in
diameter A magnifying power was Then,
employed which gave field view Of an area
axactly Tooth of an inch ID diameter, and it
was found that more than 100 spores were
contained in this space consequently the
average number Of spores in . single drop
would be e5o. 900. These var;ed from the
l0.000th to the 50, 00oth Of an incl, in diam.
ctcr: There were about $50 such drops in
the bottle, % that the sum total Of spores
reached the startling number of thirty-sevsn
and s.haf millions The mycelium Of
these minute fungi were similar to that Of
rust or mildcw (as 1t is commonly named,
such as is found on straw or dccaying veg.
citation. . IT TT . II
Wien the bottle hal remained for thirty
six hours in room at the temperature Of
% deg, the quantity Of fungi was yisibly
increased, and the delicate mycelial, threat.
like roots hs.l completely cntangfed the q,
brous objects IN the bottle and formed tlscin
into : mass. On the third day 1 number Of
celiated, zs,osporca were Observed moving
freely amongst the sposkl~. He,dili not de-.
tcct- any great variety If fungi in the con.
tents of the bottle. A. there are more than
1900 different lkiIdsia 1lnitj 81 isbpssible
that spores Of Other species might, have been.
present, but not under conditions favorable
Tor their development Some very pretty,
chain IKE thscads Of Osnidk vpeeviibe In
some Of tAc examinations. The other Oh.
leu found in ths Sotsls we're yse ~
sue; brown and chs1Ted particles, speUSAhly
arising in lighting 4res ! NV hiirsJt tis
lAvss Of plants and Ables portions Of cdt-
ton Ahnnnts and OF wool, such = MIGHT Be
expected in the air Of . manufacturing city.
A few granules Of starch, scen by the aid pf
. poIlisSspsffS nA' ssvc6 lO6g isniptical y.
dies, similar to the pplem Of the lily, xGs
,Slsnnolicea Aftef Ills dnsg u the! afmos..
phese had besn kept quiet for three OF four
days, animalcule made their appearance In
ieonsilsnblS. nualbonG lthH mass fScilg'
the most numerous. Animal life soon d.
essascd. iau ID txiisi1is u day5 Is inihalcals
could = deisefsA a gAssseaeiiy ee elEf'an
which III discrepancies were takeu-9,l DS
litrss, o. 50 gallons-is equal @ that which
55w.ysa tsiSlS y W n iinn * 4 NAP of
ordinary siza lwhsn ssliy1l ys0pssgsaa1hs
particles floating u The etmosphere WI
differ In cisiScsf acc61dik{ 10 tho season bF
theJ ~ dlrekieD Of 1A4Ht, aDd -
locality II which they ars collsctsd. ard, =
ass.: = a s ~ - nj Ss } ssal 4 \
y after Iain. u
vNALsIrT 17-D xs1e