Introduction Early History Needham versus Spallanzani Worms, Molecules, and Evolution Note on Terminology Why Another Study of the Spontaneous Generation Debates? 1 Spontaneous Generation and Early Victorian Science The Standard Story of the British Debates Bastian and Burdon Sanderson Criticisms of Bastian by Lankester and Roberts The Germ Theory of Disease The Role of Heat-Resistant Spores Major Victorian Scientists through the 1860s 2 "Molecular"Theories and the Conversion of Owen and Bennett Brownian Movement and Histological Molecules Owen's Role in Developing Ideas on Spontaneous Generation John Hughes Bennett and "Histological Molecules" Owen's Change and the Darwinians Bennett's Conversion to Spontaneous Generation Further Response to Owen's Conversion 3 Bastian as Rising Star Bastian's Background Bastian Enters the Spontaneous Generation Debate Wallace and Darwin Discuss Bastian Further Support for Bastian 4 Initial Confrontation with the X Club: 1870-1873 Huxley's Tightrope Act Huxley's Attitude toward Young Men of Talent Huxley Turns against Bastian Brownian Movement and Other Rhetorical Devices The Younger Darwinians Bastian, Huxley, and the Royal Society E. Ray Lankester and Bastian 5 Colloids, PleomorphicTheories, and Cell Theories: A State of Flux Thomas Graham and Colloids Conservation of Energy and Correlation of Forces Cell Theory and the Demise of Histological Molecules Brownian Movement Revisited Life Cycles in Infusorial Monads Pleomorphist Theories of Bacteria 6 Germ Theories and the British Medical Community The Cattle Plague of 1865-66 and Germ Theories Tyndall, the Germ Theory, and the Medical Community Support in the Medical Community for Bastian The Pathological Society Debate of April 1875 The Physiological Society 7 Purity and Contamination: Tyndall's Campaign as the Final Blow Tyndall's A Priori Commitments Embarking on the Quest and Recruiting Support The Exact Sciences versus the Biomedical Sciences The X Club and the Royal Society Spores: Tough Allies to Kill Convincing Pasteur: Urine Proves a Weak Ally Conclusions Epilogue, 1880 through 1915 Glossary Timeline Cast of Characters Notes Sources Index
A very important contribution to the literature of the spontaneous generation debates, one that ties together many parts of the story that have never been dealt with in one place. More important, Strick has placed his narrative in the context not only of recent scholarship on Pasteur, Tyndall, Huxley, and the X-Club, but he also provides a contextualist analysis that shows far more clearly exactly how and why the debates took the course they did. A very fine piece of work. -- Garland E. Allen, Washington University By focusing on Darwin's London and Pasteur's Paris, explaining the issues and historical approaches to both, Strick knits together the academic topics of Darwinian evolution, the Pasteurization of France, and germ theories of disease--by means of a deep study of specific Darwinian medical men in England and their recourse to spontaneous generation. We thereby sense that the book is pleasingly overarching, while at the same time focused. -- Adrian Desmond, author of Huxley:From Devil's Disciple to Evolution's High Priest
James E. Strick is Professor in the Department of Earth and Environment and Chair of the Program in Science, Technology, and Society at Franklin and Marshall College.
In accessible language and an engaging narrative style, Strick
navigates through the Victorian power politics of both
observational and experimental science (Darwin’s immediate
19th-century legacy) and the old (and inevitable) rifts between men
of science and arrogant medical practitioners. He illuminates
especially the European backdrop and the relations of the debates
over spontaneous generation to the ‘big questions.’
*Science*
Sparks of Life provides a fascinating, scholarly account of the
19th century spontaneous generation controversy that raged in
England which focuses on the work of Henry Charlton Bastian…
Strick’s highly readable account of English microbiology during the
late Victorian period is superb and unlikely to be bettered—a must
for everyone interested in the development of both microbiology and
biology in general.
*Microbiology Today*
Between 1860 and 1880, the scientific community vigorously debated
the doctrine of spontaneous generation…and it held sway for
generations before being challenged in the era of Darwin’s theory
of evolution. Strick investigates the evidence brought to bear on
this controversy, including improvements in microscope technology,
laboratory techniques, and experimental method, all of which helped
author germ theory. Strick also treats conceptual changes and
public controversy that lay beneath the research and scientific
advances of Darwin’s era.
*Science News*
[Strick] explores the debate in Victorian Britain (1860–80) over
the view that life was formed from nonliving matter (spontaneous
generation or abiogenesis), against the background of controversy
generated by Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution and development
of the germ theory of disease… The author strives to
connect…diverse issues, making the work…attractive to those well
versed in the scientific and historical details.
*Choice*
With impressive scholarship, Strick examines the major books,
articles, lectures, and letters on, as well as experiments and
institutions involved with, the origin of life controversies in
scientific philosophy. He rigorously analyzes the complex Victorian
(1860–80) debates surrounding the idea of spontaneous generation…
He also emphasizes the social aspects and personal interests that
influenced those arguments offered by both naturalists and
physicians. The result of prodigious research, Sparks of Life is
highly recommended.
*Library Journal*
A very important contribution to the literature of the spontaneous
generation debates, one that ties together many parts of the story
that have never been dealt with in one place. More important,
Strick has placed his narrative in the context not only of recent
scholarship on Pasteur, Tyndall, Huxley, and the X-Club, but he
also provides a contextualist analysis that shows far more clearly
exactly how and why the debates took the course they did. A very
fine piece of work.
*Garland E. Allen, Washington University*
By focusing on Darwin’s London and Pasteur’s Paris, explaining the
issues and historical approaches to both, Strick knits together the
academic topics of Darwinian evolution, the Pasteurization of
France, and germ theories of disease—by means of a deep study of
specific Darwinian medical men in England and their recourse to
spontaneous generation. We thereby sense that the book is
pleasingly overarching, while at the same time focused.
*Adrian Desmond, author of Huxley: From Devil’s Disciple to
Evolution’s High Priest*
In accessible language and an engaging narrative style, Strick
navigates through the Victorian power politics of both
observational and experimental science (Darwin's immediate
19th-century legacy) and the old (and inevitable) rifts between men
of science and arrogant medical practitioners. He illuminates
especially the European backdrop and the relations of the debates
over spontaneous generation to the 'big questions.' -- Lynn
Margulis * Science *
Sparks of Life provides a fascinating, scholarly account of
the 19th century spontaneous generation controversy that raged in
England which focuses on the work of Henry Charlton Bastian...
Strick's highly readable account of English microbiology during the
late Victorian period is superb and unlikely to be bettered-a must
for everyone interested in the development of both microbiology and
biology in general. -- Milton Wainwright * Microbiology Today *
Between 1860 and 1880, the scientific community vigorously debated
the doctrine of spontaneous generation...and it held sway for
generations before being challenged in the era of Darwin's theory
of evolution. Strick investigates the evidence brought to bear on
this controversy, including improvements in microscope technology,
laboratory techniques, and experimental method, all of which helped
author germ theory. Strick also treats conceptual changes and
public controversy that lay beneath the research and scientific
advances of Darwin's era. * Science News *
[Strick] explores the debate in Victorian Britain (1860-80) over
the view that life was formed from nonliving matter (spontaneous
generation or abiogenesis), against the background of controversy
generated by Charles Darwin's theory of evolution and development
of the germ theory of disease... The author strives to
connect...diverse issues, making the work...attractive to those
well versed in the scientific and historical details. -- J.S.
Schwartz * Choice *
With impressive scholarship, Strick examines the major books,
articles, lectures, and letters on, as well as experiments and
institutions involved with, the origin of life controversies in
scientific philosophy. He rigorously analyzes the complex Victorian
(1860-80) debates surrounding the idea of spontaneous generation...
He also emphasizes the social aspects and personal interests that
influenced those arguments offered by both naturalists and
physicians. The result of prodigious research, Sparks of
Life is highly recommended. -- H. James Birx * Library Journal
*
A very important contribution to the literature of the spontaneous
generation debates, one that ties together many parts of the story
that have never been dealt with in one place. More important,
Strick has placed his narrative in the context not only of recent
scholarship on Pasteur, Tyndall, Huxley, and the X-Club, but he
also provides a contextualist analysis that shows far more clearly
exactly how and why the debates took the course they did. A very
fine piece of work. -- Garland E. Allen, Washington University
By focusing on Darwin's London and Pasteur's Paris, explaining the
issues and historical approaches to both, Strick knits together the
academic topics of Darwinian evolution, the Pasteurization of
France, and germ theories of disease-by means of a deep study of
specific Darwinian medical men in England and their recourse to
spontaneous generation. We thereby sense that the book is
pleasingly overarching, while at the same time focused. -- Adrian
Desmond, author of Huxley: From Devil's Disciple to Evolution's
High Priest
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