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С˵£º the origination of living beings ×ÖÊý£º ÿҳ4000×Ö

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infusion£»¡¡that¡¡then£»¡¡although¡¡you¡¡might¡¡have¡¡plenty¡¡of¡¡animalcules¡¡in
the¡¡first¡¡flask£»¡¡you¡¡would¡¡certainly¡¡obtain¡¡none¡¡from¡¡the¡¡second¡£

These¡¡experiments£»¡¡you¡¡see£»¡¡all¡¡tended¡¡towards¡¡one¡¡conclusionthat¡¡the
infusoria¡¡were¡¡developed¡¡from¡¡little¡¡minute¡¡spores¡¡or¡¡eggs¡¡which¡¡were
constantly¡¡floating¡¡in¡¡the¡¡atmosphere£»¡¡which¡¡lose¡¡their¡¡power¡¡of
germination¡¡if¡¡subjected¡¡to¡¡heat¡£¡¡¡¡But¡¡one¡¡observer¡¡now¡¡made¡¡another
experiment¡¡which¡¡seemed¡¡to¡¡go¡¡entirely¡¡the¡¡other¡¡way£»¡¡and¡¡puzzled¡¡him
altogether¡£¡¡He¡¡took¡¡some¡¡of¡¡this¡¡boiled¡¡infusion¡¡that¡¡I¡¡have¡¡been
speaking¡¡of£»¡¡and¡¡by¡¡the¡¡use¡¡of¡¡a¡¡mercurial¡¡batha¡¡kind¡¡of¡¡trough¡¡used
in¡¡laboratorieshe¡¡deftly¡¡inverted¡¡a¡¡vessel¡¡containing¡¡the¡¡infusion
into¡¡the¡¡mercury£»¡¡so¡¡that¡¡the¡¡latter¡¡reached¡¡a¡¡little¡¡beyond¡¡the¡¡level
of¡¡the¡¡mouth¡¡of¡¡the¡¡'inverted'¡¡vessel¡£¡¡¡¡You¡¡see¡¡that¡¡he¡¡thus¡¡had¡¡a
quantity¡¡of¡¡the¡¡infusion¡¡shut¡¡off¡¡from¡¡any¡¡possible¡¡communication¡¡with
the¡¡outer¡¡air¡¡by¡¡being¡¡inverted¡¡upon¡¡a¡¡bed¡¡of¡¡mercury¡£

He¡¡then¡¡prepared¡¡some¡¡pure¡¡oxygen¡¡and¡¡nitrogen¡¡gases£»¡¡and¡¡passed¡¡them¡¡by
means¡¡of¡¡a¡¡tube¡¡going¡¡from¡¡the¡¡outside¡¡of¡¡the¡¡vessel£»¡¡up¡¡through¡¡the
mercury¡¡into¡¡the¡¡infusion£»¡¡so¡¡that¡¡he¡¡thus¡¡had¡¡it¡¡exposed¡¡to¡¡a
perfectly¡¡pure¡¡atmosphere¡¡of¡¡the¡¡same¡¡constituents¡¡as¡¡the¡¡external¡¡air¡£
Of¡¡course£»¡¡he¡¡expected¡¡he¡¡would¡¡get¡¡no¡¡infusorial¡¡animalcules¡¡at¡¡all¡¡in
that¡¡infusion£»¡¡but£»¡¡to¡¡his¡¡great¡¡dismay¡¡and¡¡discomfiture£»¡¡he¡¡found¡¡he
almost¡¡always¡¡did¡¡get¡¡them¡£

Furthermore£»¡¡it¡¡has¡¡been¡¡found¡¡that¡¡experiments¡¡made¡¡in¡¡the¡¡manner
described¡¡above¡¡answer¡¡well¡¡with¡¡most¡¡infusions£»¡¡but¡¡that¡¡if¡¡you¡¡fill
the¡¡vessel¡¡with¡¡boiled¡¡milk£»¡¡and¡¡then¡¡stop¡¡the¡¡neck¡¡with¡¡cotton¡­wool£»
you¡¡'will'¡¡have¡¡infusoria¡£¡¡¡¡So¡¡that¡¡you¡¡see¡¡there¡¡were¡¡two¡¡experiments
that¡¡brought¡¡you¡¡to¡¡one¡¡kind¡¡of¡¡conclusion£»¡¡and¡¡three¡¡to¡¡another£»¡¡which
was¡¡a¡¡most¡¡unsatisfactory¡¡state¡¡of¡¡things¡¡to¡¡arrive¡¡at¡¡in¡¡a¡¡scientific
inquiry¡£

Some¡¡few¡¡years¡¡after¡¡this£»¡¡the¡¡question¡¡began¡¡to¡¡be¡¡very¡¡hotly¡¡discussed
in¡¡France¡£¡¡¡¡There¡¡was¡¡M¡£¡¡Pouchet£»¡¡a¡¡professor¡¡at¡¡Rouen£»¡¡a¡¡very¡¡learned
man£»¡¡but¡¡certainly¡¡not¡¡a¡¡very¡¡rigid¡¡experimentalist¡£¡¡¡¡He¡¡published¡¡a
number¡¡of¡¡experiments¡¡of¡¡his¡¡own£»¡¡some¡¡of¡¡which¡¡were¡¡very¡¡ingenious£»¡¡to
show¡¡that¡¡if¡¡you¡¡went¡¡to¡¡work¡¡in¡¡a¡¡proper¡¡way£»¡¡there¡¡was¡¡a¡¡truth¡¡in¡¡the
doctrine¡¡of¡¡spontaneous¡¡generation¡£¡¡¡¡Well£»¡¡it¡¡was¡¡one¡¡of¡¡the¡¡most
fortunate¡¡things¡¡in¡¡the¡¡world¡¡that¡¡M¡£¡¡¡¡Pouchet¡¡took¡¡up¡¡this¡¡question£»
because¡¡it¡¡induced¡¡a¡¡distinguished¡¡French¡¡chemist£»¡¡M¡£¡¡Pasteur£»¡¡to¡¡take
up¡¡the¡¡question¡¡on¡¡the¡¡other¡¡side£»¡¡and¡¡he¡¡has¡¡certainly¡¡worked¡¡it¡¡out¡¡in
the¡¡most¡¡perfect¡¡manner¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡am¡¡glad¡¡to¡¡say£»¡¡too£»¡¡that¡¡he¡¡has¡¡published
his¡¡researches¡¡in¡¡time¡¡to¡¡enable¡¡me¡¡to¡¡give¡¡you¡¡an¡¡account¡¡of¡¡them¡£¡¡¡¡He
verified¡¡all¡¡the¡¡experiments¡¡which¡¡I¡¡have¡¡just¡¡mentioned¡¡to¡¡youand
then¡¡finding¡¡those¡¡extraordinary¡¡anomalies£»¡¡as¡¡in¡¡the¡¡case¡¡of¡¡the
mercury¡¡bath¡¡and¡¡the¡¡milk£»¡¡he¡¡set¡¡himself¡¡to¡¡work¡¡to¡¡discover¡¡their
nature¡£¡¡¡¡In¡¡the¡¡case¡¡of¡¡milk¡¡he¡¡found¡¡it¡¡to¡¡be¡¡a¡¡question¡¡of
temperature¡£¡¡¡¡Milk¡¡in¡¡a¡¡fresh¡¡state¡¡is¡¡slightly¡¡alkaline£»¡¡and¡¡it¡¡is¡¡a
very¡¡curious¡¡circumstance£»¡¡but¡¡this¡¡very¡¡slight¡¡degree¡¡of¡¡alkalinity
seems¡¡to¡¡have¡¡the¡¡effect¡¡of¡¡preserving¡¡the¡¡organisms¡¡which¡¡fall¡¡into¡¡it
from¡¡the¡¡air¡¡from¡¡being¡¡destroyed¡¡at¡¡a¡¡temperature¡¡of¡¡212¡¡degrees£»
which¡¡is¡¡the¡¡boiling¡¡point¡£¡¡¡¡But¡¡if¡¡you¡¡raise¡¡the¡¡temperature¡¡10¡¡degrees
when¡¡you¡¡boil¡¡it£»¡¡the¡¡milk¡¡behaves¡¡like¡¡everything¡¡else£»¡¡and¡¡if¡¡the¡¡air
with¡¡which¡¡it¡¡comes¡¡in¡¡contact£»¡¡after¡¡being¡¡boiled¡¡at¡¡this¡¡temperature£»
is¡¡passed¡¡through¡¡a¡¡red¡­hot¡¡tube£»¡¡you¡¡will¡¡not¡¡get¡¡a¡¡trace¡¡of
organisms¡£

He¡¡then¡¡turned¡¡his¡¡attention¡¡to¡¡the¡¡mercury¡¡bath£»¡¡and¡¡found¡¡on
examination¡¡that¡¡the¡¡surface¡¡of¡¡the¡¡mercury¡¡was¡¡almost¡¡always¡¡covered
with¡¡a¡¡very¡¡fine¡¡dust¡£¡¡¡¡He¡¡found¡¡that¡¡even¡¡the¡¡mercury¡¡itself¡¡was
positively¡¡full¡¡of¡¡organic¡¡matters£»¡¡that¡¡from¡¡being¡¡constantly¡¡exposed
to¡¡the¡¡air£»¡¡it¡¡had¡¡collected¡¡an¡¡immense¡¡number¡¡of¡¡these¡¡infusorial
organisms¡¡from¡¡the¡¡air¡£¡¡¡¡Well£»¡¡under¡¡these¡¡circumstances¡¡he¡¡felt¡¡that
the¡¡case¡¡was¡¡quite¡¡clear£»¡¡and¡¡that¡¡the¡¡mercury¡¡was¡¡not¡¡what¡¡it¡¡had
appeared¡¡to¡¡M¡£¡¡Schwann¡¡to¡¡be£»a¡¡bar¡¡to¡¡the¡¡admission¡¡of¡¡these
organisms£»¡¡but¡¡that£»¡¡in¡¡reality£»¡¡it¡¡acted¡¡as¡¡a¡¡reservoir¡¡from¡¡which¡¡the
infusion¡¡was¡¡immediately¡¡supplied¡¡with¡¡the¡¡large¡¡quantity¡¡that¡¡had¡¡so
puzzled¡¡him¡£

But¡¡not¡¡content¡¡with¡¡explaining¡¡the¡¡experiments¡¡of¡¡others£»¡¡M¡£¡¡Pasteur
went¡¡to¡¡work¡¡to¡¡satisfy¡¡himself¡¡completely¡£¡¡¡¡He¡¡said¡¡to¡¡himself£º¡¡¡¨If¡¡my
view¡¡is¡¡right£»¡¡and¡¡if£»¡¡in¡¡point¡¡of¡¡fact£»¡¡all¡¡these¡¡appearances¡¡of
spontaneous¡¡generation¡¡are¡¡altogether¡¡due¡¡to¡¡the¡¡falling¡¡of¡¡minute
germs¡¡suspended¡¡in¡¡the¡¡atmosphere£»why£»¡¡I¡¡ought¡¡not¡¡only¡¡to¡¡be¡¡able¡¡to
show¡¡the¡¡germs£»¡¡but¡¡I¡¡ought¡¡to¡¡be¡¡able¡¡to¡¡catch¡¡and¡¡sow¡¡them£»¡¡and
produce¡¡the¡¡resulting¡¡organisms¡£¡¨¡¡¡¡He£»¡¡accordingly£»¡¡constructed¡¡a¡¡very
ingenious¡¡apparatus¡¡to¡¡enable¡¡him¡¡to¡¡accomplish¡¡this¡¡trapping¡¡of¡¡this
¡¨germ¡¡dust¡¨¡¡in¡¡the¡¡air¡£¡¡¡¡He¡¡fixed¡¡in¡¡the¡¡window¡¡of¡¡his¡¡room¡¡a¡¡glass
tube£»¡¡in¡¡the¡¡centre¡¡of¡¡which¡¡he¡¡had¡¡placed¡¡a¡¡ball¡¡of¡¡gun¡­cotton£»¡¡which£»
as¡¡you¡¡all¡¡know£»¡¡is¡¡ordinary¡¡cotton¡­wool£»¡¡which£»¡¡from¡¡having¡¡been
steeped¡¡in¡¡strong¡¡acid£»¡¡is¡¡converted¡¡into¡¡a¡¡substance¡¡of¡¡great¡¡explosive
power¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡is¡¡also¡¡soluble¡¡in¡¡alcohol¡¡and¡¡ether¡£¡¡¡¡One¡¡end¡¡of¡¡the¡¡glass
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external¡¡air¡¡to¡¡pass¡¡through¡¡the¡¡tube¡£¡¡¡¡He¡¡kept¡¡this¡¡apparatus¡¡going
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and¡¡dissolved¡¡it¡¡in¡¡alcohol¡¡and¡¡ether¡£¡¡¡¡He¡¡then¡¡allowed¡¡this¡¡to¡¡stand
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gradually¡¡deposited¡¡at¡¡the¡¡bottom¡¡of¡¡it¡£¡¡¡¡That¡¡dust£»¡¡on¡¡being
transferred¡¡to¡¡the¡¡stage¡¡of¡¡a¡¡microscope£»¡¡was¡¡found¡¡to¡¡contain¡¡an
enormous¡¡number¡¡of¡¡starch¡¡grains¡£¡¡¡¡You¡¡know¡¡that¡¡the¡¡materials¡¡of¡¡our
food¡¡and¡¡the¡¡greater¡¡portion¡¡of¡¡plants¡¡are¡¡composed¡¡of¡¡starch£»¡¡and¡¡we
are¡¡constantly¡¡making¡¡use¡¡of¡¡it¡¡in¡¡a¡¡variety¡¡of¡¡ways£»¡¡so¡¡that¡¡there¡¡is
always¡¡a¡¡quantity¡¡of¡¡it¡¡suspended¡¡in¡¡the¡¡air¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡is¡¡these¡¡starch
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ray¡¡of¡¡light¡¡sometimes¡£¡¡¡¡But¡¡besides¡¡these£»¡¡M¡£¡¡Pasteur¡¡found¡¡also¡¡an
immense¡¡number¡¡of¡¡other¡¡organic¡¡substances¡¡such¡¡as¡¡spores¡¡of¡¡fungi£»
which¡¡had¡¡been¡¡floating¡¡about¡¡in¡¡the¡¡air¡¡and¡¡had¡¡got¡¡caged¡¡in¡¡this¡¡way¡£

He¡¡went¡¡farther£»¡¡and¡¡said¡¡to¡¡himself£»¡¡¡¨If¡¡these¡¡really¡¡are¡¡the¡¡things
that¡¡give¡¡rise¡¡to¡¡the¡¡appearance¡¡of¡¡spontaneous¡¡generation£»¡¡I¡¡ought¡¡to
be¡¡able¡¡to¡¡take¡¡a¡¡ball¡¡of¡¡this¡¡'dusted'¡¡gun¡­cotton¡¡and¡¡put¡¡it¡¡into¡¡one
of¡¡my¡¡vessels£»¡¡containing¡¡that¡¡boiled¡¡infusion¡¡which¡¡has¡¡been¡¡kept¡¡away
from¡¡the¡¡air£»¡¡and¡¡in¡¡which¡¡no¡¡infusoria¡¡are¡¡at¡¡present¡¡developed£»¡¡and
then£»¡¡if¡¡I¡¡am¡¡right£»¡¡the¡¡introduction¡¡of¡¡this¡¡gun¡­cotton¡¡will¡¡give¡¡rise
to¡¡organisms¡£¡¨

Accordingly£»¡¡he¡¡took¡¡one¡¡of¡¡these¡¡vessels¡¡of¡¡infusion£»¡¡which¡¡had¡¡been
kept¡¡eighteen¡¡months£»¡¡without¡¡the¡¡least¡¡appearance¡¡of¡¡life£»¡¡and¡¡by¡¡a
most¡¡ingenious¡¡contrivance£»¡¡he¡¡managed¡¡to¡¡break¡¡it¡¡open¡¡and¡¡introduce
such¡¡a¡¡ball¡¡of¡¡gun¡­cotton£»¡¡without¡¡allowing¡¡the¡¡infusion¡¡or¡¡the¡¡cotton
ball¡¡to¡¡come¡¡into¡¡contact¡¡with¡¡any¡¡air¡¡but¡¡that¡¡which¡¡had¡¡been¡¡subjected
to¡¡a¡¡red¡¡heat£»¡¡and¡¡in¡¡twenty¡­four¡¡hours¡¡he¡¡had¡¡the¡¡satisfaction¡¡of
finding¡¡all¡¡the¡¡indications¡¡of¡¡what¡¡had¡¡been¡¡hitherto¡¡called
spontaneous¡¡generation¡£¡¡¡¡He¡¡had¡¡succeeded¡¡in¡¡catching¡¡the¡¡germs¡¡and
developing¡¡organisms¡¡in¡¡the¡¡way¡¡he¡¡had¡¡anticipated¡£

It¡¡now¡¡struck¡¡him¡¡that¡¡the¡¡truth¡¡of¡¡his¡¡conclusions¡¡might¡¡be
demonstrated¡¡without¡¡all¡¡the¡¡apparatus¡¡he¡¡had¡¡employed¡£¡¡¡¡To¡¡do¡¡this£»¡¡he
took¡¡some¡¡decaying¡¡animal¡¡or¡¡vegetable¡¡substance£»¡¡such¡¡as¡¡urine£»¡¡which
is¡¡an¡¡extremely¡¡decomposable¡¡substance£»¡¡or¡¡the¡¡juice¡¡of¡¡yeast£»¡¡or
perhaps¡¡some¡¡other¡¡artificial¡¡preparation£»¡¡and¡¡filled¡¡a¡¡vessel¡¡having¡¡a
long¡¡tubular¡¡neck¡¡with¡¡it¡£¡¡¡¡He¡¡then¡¡boiled¡¡the¡¡liquid¡¡and¡¡bent¡¡that
long¡¡neck¡¡into¡¡an¡¡S¡¡shape¡¡or¡¡zig¡­zag£»¡¡leaving¡¡it¡¡open¡¡at¡¡the¡¡end¡£¡¡¡¡The
infusion¡¡then¡¡gave¡¡no¡¡trace¡¡of¡¡any¡¡appearance¡¡of¡¡spontaneous
generation£»¡¡however¡¡long¡¡it¡¡might¡¡be¡¡left£»¡¡as¡¡all¡¡the¡¡germs¡¡in¡¡the¡¡air
were¡¡deposited¡¡in¡¡the¡¡beginning¡¡of¡¡the¡¡bent¡¡neck¡£¡¡¡¡He¡¡then¡¡cut¡¡the¡¡tube
close¡¡to¡¡the¡¡vessel£»¡¡and¡¡allowed¡¡the¡¡ordinary¡¡air¡¡to¡¡have¡¡free¡¡and
direct¡¡access£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡result¡¡of¡¡that¡¡was¡¡the¡¡appearance¡¡of¡¡organisms¡¡in
it£»¡¡as¡¡soon¡¡as¡¡the¡¡infusion¡¡had¡¡been¡¡allowed¡¡to¡¡stand¡¡long¡¡enough¡¡to
allow¡¡of¡¡the¡¡growth¡¡of¡¡those¡¡it¡¡received¡¡from¡¡the¡¡air£»¡¡which¡¡was¡¡about
forty¡­eight¡¡hours¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡result¡¡of¡¡M¡£¡¡Pasteur's¡¡experiments¡¡proved£»
therefore£»¡¡in¡¡the¡¡most¡¡conclusive¡¡manner£»¡¡that¡¡all¡¡the¡¡appearances¡¡of
spontaneous¡¡generation¡¡arose¡¡from¡¡nothing¡¡more¡¡than¡¡the¡¡deposition¡¡of
the¡¡germs¡¡of¡¡organisms¡¡which¡¡were¡¡constantly¡¡floating¡¡in¡¡the¡¡air¡£

To¡¡this¡¡conclusion£»¡¡however£»¡¡the¡¡objection¡¡was¡¡made£»¡¡that¡¡if¡¡that¡¡were
the¡¡cause£»¡¡then¡¡the¡¡air¡¡would¡¡contain¡¡such¡¡an¡¡enormous¡¡number¡¡of¡¡these
germs£»¡¡that¡¡it¡¡would¡¡be¡¡a¡¡continual¡¡fog¡£¡¡¡¡But¡¡M¡£¡¡Pasteur¡¡replied¡¡that
they¡¡are¡¡not¡¡there¡¡in¡¡anything¡¡like¡¡the¡¡number¡¡we¡¡might¡¡suppose£»¡¡and
that¡¡an¡¡exaggerated¡¡view¡¡has¡¡been¡¡held¡¡on¡¡that¡¡subject£»¡¡he¡¡showed¡¡that
the¡¡chances¡¡of¡¡animal¡¡or¡¡vegetable¡¡life¡¡appearing¡¡in¡¡infusions£»¡¡depend
entirely¡¡on¡¡the¡¡conditions¡¡under¡¡which¡¡they¡¡are¡¡exposed¡£¡¡¡¡If¡¡they¡¡are
exposed¡¡to¡¡the¡¡ordinary¡¡atmosphere¡¡around¡¡us£»¡¡why£»¡¡of¡¡course£»¡¡you¡¡may
have¡¡organisms¡¡appearing¡¡early¡£¡¡¡¡But£»¡¡on¡¡the¡¡other¡¡hand£»¡¡if¡¡they¡¡are
exposed¡¡to¡¡air¡¡from¡¡a¡¡great¡¡height£»¡¡or¡¡from¡¡some¡¡very¡¡quiet¡¡cellar£»¡¡you
will¡¡often¡¡not¡¡find¡¡a¡¡single¡¡trace¡¡of¡¡life¡£

So¡¡that

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