The Rugbeian. (Rugby, Morgan Co., Tenn.) 1881-1882, 1881-10-15

we can still find pictures in old books on
the marvellous, of these wonderful things
that are truly wonderful themselves, and
descriptions that, to the microscopic of
to day, are even more wonderful than the
pictures. But at length, men began to
question concerning the origin of these
entities. 1t was found that if pure water
was put in vessel and portion of hay
stepped therein, and the vessel set away
in a few days the water would swarm with
these animalcule. Then it was, that these.
minute beings were all classed as infusoria
from being found in infusions of hay.
Now came the advocates for spontaneous
generation and said, this is the beginning
of life, here entity comes from nonentity,
life from dead matter. Nay, said the
first germ theorists, this is impossible; the
formula that 0 plus 90 is true, in
Biology as in Mathematics. The seed or
germs Of these things are carried about
in the air and develope under suitable
condition. Now began the battle, and
many were the keen minds who crossed
swords in the controversial arena. Then,
while the clash of the encounter was ring
ing throughout the scientific world, the
microscope went on toward perfection,
and the bacteria or Septic organisms
were discovered; and the denizens of this
neither world were as small compared
with common infusorium as o mouse
compared with an elephant. It was
found that these tiny organisms were
found in great numbers in the merest speck
Of putrid water, and then it wass found.
that all dead matter in that state known
as putrefaction, was only compact mass
of these organisms. Now arose the i'm
portant question were these septic organ
isms the cause, or only the accompani-
ment of putrefaction; and many an
eminent scientist arose up to interrogate
nature for an answer. Not least among
them, Prof. Tyndall, whose experiments
extended through years and numbered
thousands. l will briefly give the result
of those experiments. It was proven that
fresh meats and vegetables, will, in all
cases putrify and swarm with the septic
organisms, if they are subject to an at
mosphere that has not been heated to
23O deg. Far. but that, when placed in
glass case to which the atmosphere has
free access passing through tubes where it
is heated to 23O, deg. these meats and
vegetables did not purify, neither did the
organisms appear. Here two things were
proven; that the germs Of these organ
isms came with the atmosphere, and were
destroyed at the temperature of 23O deg.
and, that these organisms are the cause of
putrefaction.
The experiments were tried mainly, l
believe to refute the disciples of spon-
taneous generation, or, in other words,
those who believe that life can begin with
out previous life. Prof. Tyndall went in
the battle firmly believing that the chain
Of causation was continuous, that nowhere
would be found an effect uncaused, and
he was rewarded with victory.
But, says some doubling Thomas, after
all, it may be that heating the air, caused
changes chemically, that destroyed this
power to produce spontaneous generation.
NJ. Pasteur silenced these demurrers
with his beautiful experiments. He
showed that the fluids nigh. be kept safe