surface, moistened with an acid, be placed in perfectly pure air, then the washings are found to contain sodium, calcium, iron, and potassium.45 Linen moistened with an alkali absorbs carbonic, sulphuric, phosphoric, and hydrochloric acids. Further, the presence of organic substances in air has been proved by a similar experiment. If a glass globe be filled with ice and placed in a room where are a number of people, then the presence of organic substances, like albuminous substances, may be proved in the water which condenses on the surface of the globe. It may be that the miasmas causing infection in marshy localities, hospitals, and in certain epidemic illnesses proceed from the presence of such substances in the air (and especially in water, which contains many micro-organisms), as well as from the presence of germs of lower organisms in the air as a minute dust. Pasteur proved the existence of such germs in the air by the following experiment:—He placed gun-cotton (pyroxylin), which has the appearance of ordinary cotton, in a glass tube. Gun-cotton is soluble in a mixture of ether and alcohol, forming the so-called collodion. A current of air was passed through the tube for a long period of time, and the gun-cotton was then dissolved in a mixture of ether and alcohol. An insoluble residue was thus obtained which actually contained the germs of organisms, as was shown by microscopical observations, and by their capacity to develop into organisms (mould, &c.) under favourable conditions. The presence of these germs determines the property of air of bringing about the processes of putrefaction and fermentation—that is the fundamental alteration of organic substances, which is accompanied by an entire change in their properties. The appearance of lower organisms, both vegetable and animal, is always to be remarked in these processes. Thus, for instance, in the process of fermentation, when, for example, wine is procured from the sweet juice of grapes, a sediment separates out which is known under the name of lees, and contains peculiar yeast organisms. Germs are required before these organisms can appear.46 They are floating in the air, and fall into the sweet fermentable liquid from it. Finding themselves under favourable conditions, the germs develop into organisms; they are nourished at the expense of the organic substance, and during growth change and destroy it, and bring about fermentation and putrefaction. This is why, for instance, the juice of the grape when contained in the skin of the fruit, which allows access of the air but is impenetrable to the germs, does not ferment, does not alter so long as the skin remains intact. This is also the reason why animal substances when kept from the access of air may be preserved for a great length of time. Preserved foods for long sea voyages are kept in this way.47 Hence it is evident that however infinitesimal the quantity of germs carried in the atmosphere may be, still they have an immense significance in nature.48
Thus we see that air contains a great variety of substances. The nitrogen, which is found in it in the largest quantity, has the least influence on those processes which are accomplished by the action of air. The oxygen, which is met with in a lesser quantity than the nitrogen, on the contrary takes a very important part in a number of reactions; it supports combustion and respiration, it brings about decomposition and every process of slow oxidation. The part played by the moisture of air is well known. The carbonic anhydride, which is met with in still smaller quantities, has an immense significance in nature, inasmuch as it serves for the nourishment of plants. The importance of the ammonia and nitric acid is very great, because they are the sources of the nitrogenous substances comprising an indispensable element in all living organisms. And, lastly, the infinitesimal quantity of germs also have a great significance in a number of processes. Thus it is not the quantitative but the qualitative relations of the component parts of the atmosphere which determine its importance in nature.49
Air, being a mixture of various substances, may suffer considerable changes in consequence of incidental circumstances. It is particularly necessary to remark those changes in the composition of air which take place in dwellings and in various localities where human beings have to remain during a lengthy period of time.