Three days after sending the letter of April 21, 1676, Leeuwenhoek began to record a series of observations that would last until late September. The letter reporting it all to the Royal Society also included two prior observations, one of them ongoing.
Prior Experiments
| infusion |
preparation |
start |
end |
duration |
obs # |
| Rain 1 |
rain standing for a few days in a tub |
September 15, 1675 |
1 |
| Well |
1675 |
1676 |
indeterminate |
23 |
In the rain water, he saw Vorticella, an oval ciliate, a long ciliate, and Monas. In the well water, he saw no living creatures.
Experiments beginning in April
| infusion |
preparation |
start |
end |
duration |
obs # |
| Pepper 1 |
3 oz whole pepper in snow water |
April 3 |
April 24 |
3 weeks |
31 |
| Pepper 2 |
1⁄2 oz whole pepper in 2 1⁄2 oz snow water in porcelain teacup |
April 26 |
June 1 |
5 weeks |
32 - 50 |
Observations in April
| date |
Infusion |
findings |
quantity |
notes |
obs # |
| April 24 |
Pepper 1 |
Bodo caudatus, cyclidium, vorticellabacteria, bacilli |
very many |
31 |
| April 26 |
Pepper 2 |
nothing |
32 - 50 |
