TAA i.3.9.24

                                   –           20            –    
 

have not germinated. It is sad that such a pretty story should

have to be discarded.

          Now, in considering the vitality and resistance of seeds

and spores, we must consider the lowliest group of plants, – the

bacteria. Many bacteria spores are extremely resistant, as the 

bacteriologist realises but too well when he has to continually

to be on his guard to maintain absolute sterility in his ex-

periments. Many will stand quite a high temperature, in fact

some thrive on it, and in some cases prolonged boiling at ordinary

atmospheric pressure will not destroy the spores. On the whole

they must be classed as the most resistant of spores.

          When Tutankhamen's tomb was discovered it occurred to

my chief, Dx[?]/<r>. Theysen, at the Bacteriological Laboratory of the 

Royal Naval Cordite Factory at Holton Heath that here we might

have an excellent opportunity of testing the longevity of bacteria

spores. In fact, it was a unique chance of determining whether

these spores are capable of living for such a prolonged period;

no similar experiment having been made before.

          There were certain things in favour of the spores living.

The ran<g>e of temperature of the enclosed tomb must have been very

small, and its maximum and minimum not beyond those at which

bacteria spores could retain their viability.

          It would, of course be useless to collect dust from the

anti/<e>-chamber, and analyse it for bacteria; – before it had been

opened many minutes it must have been swarming with them, for it

must be remembered that bacteria are everywhere <present> in incredible

numbers. It would have be impossible to conceive the number of

bacteria present for<,> example<,> in this hall at the moment. The

number of German marks to the pound is but a fraction of their

total. The air is laden with them, they are resting on every