At a recent meeting in London, of the Royal Miscroscopical Society, Dr. Dallinger gave his annual address to what was probably the largest gathering of Fellows ever assembled on a similar occasion. After briefly referring to the increased interest lately manifested in the study of minute organisms, and recalling the characteristics of the doctrines of abiogenesis and biogenesis, he passed rapidly in review the results of the observations of Tyndall, Huxley, and Pasteur as bearing upon these questions, and called attention to the observations of Buchner as to the transformation of Bacillus anthracis and Bacillus subtilis, and vice versa, and referred with approval to Dr. Klein's criticisms thereon. Having spoken of the desirability of careful and continuous study of this class of organisms, and the importance of endeavoring to establish the relation of the pathogenic form to the whole group, he said he should be better able to deal with the subject by recording a few ascertained facts rather than by making a more extended review, and he therefore devoted the main part of his address to a description of "the life history of a septic organism hitherto unknown to science." In his observations of this form - extending over four years - he had the advantage of the highest quality of homogeneous lenses obtainable, ranging from one-tenth to one-fiftieth of an inch, his chief reliance being placed upon a very perfect one thirty-fifth of an inch; and from the continuous nature of the observations as well as the circumstances under which they were carried on, dry lenses had for the most part to be employed.

Having in his possession a maceration of cod-fish in a fluid obtained from boiled rabbits, he found at the bottom of it, when in an almost exhausted condition, a precipitate forming a slightly viscid mass, to which his attention was particularly directed. It was seen to contain a vast number of Bacterium termo, but on examination with a one-tenth inch objective showed that it also contained a comparatively small number of intensely active organisms - one being discovered in about eight or ten drops of the sediment. These measured 1-10,000 of an inch in length by 1-19,500 of an inch in breadth. The fluid had originally been kept at a temperature of 90° to 95° F., and it was noticed that, when placed upon a cold stage under the microscope, the movements of the organisms became, gradually slower, until at last they entirely ceased; the necessity, therefore, arose for the use of a warm stage, and the very ingenious contrivance by which a continuous and even temperature was maintained within the one-tenth of a degree was exhibited. The greatest difficulty in the matter was, however, experienced in obtaining specimens for observation, in order to be able to trace them from their earliest to their latest stage.

The President then explained, by means of an admirable series of illustrations projected upon a screen by the oxyhydrogen lantern, the life history of the organism to which he had referred, exhibiting it first as a translucent, elliptic, spindle-shaped body, with six long and delicate flagella, the various positions in which the five specimens were drawn giving a very good idea of its peculiar porpoiselike movements.

The various positions which it assumed in making an attack upon a portion of decomposed matter were also shown, the movements quite fascinating the observer by their rhythmical character. The supposed action of the flagella in the production of the movements observed was explained, distinct evidence being afforded of a remarkable spiral motion, at least of those behind. The process of fission was illustrated in all its observed stages from the first appearance of a construction to that of final and complete separation, the whole being performed within the space of eight or nine minutes. A description of the process of fusion from the simple contact of two organisms to their entire absorption into each other followed, as well as their transformation into a granular mass, which gradually decreased in size in consequence of the dropping of a train of granules in it wake as it moved across the field. The development of these granules was traced from their minute semi-opaque and spherical form to that of the perfect flagellate organism first shown, the entire process being completed in about an hour.

Experiments as to their thermal death-point showed that, while the adults could not be killed by a temperature less than 146° F., the highest point endured by the germs was 190° F. Illustrations of a variety of other modes of fission discovered in previous researches on similar forms were given, showing the mode of multiple division and a similar process in the case of an organism contained in an investing envelope. The President concluded his address, which was listened to throughout with the greatest attention, by remarking that, though the processes could be seen and their progress traced, the modus operandi was not traceable. Yet the observer could not fail to be impressed with the perfect concurrent adaptation of these organisms to the circumstances of their being; they were subject to no caprices, their life-cycles were as perfect as those of a crustacean or a bird, and while the action of the various processes was certain, their rapidity of increase and the shortness of their life history were such that they afforded a splendid opportunity of testing the correctness of the Darwinian law.