INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS DURING THE YEAR 1875. xciii 



studied the decomposition which marsh and water plants un- 

 dergo under water. He finds that the butyric fermentation 

 takes place, that carbon dioxide and marsh gases are evolved, 

 and that the liquid becomes alkaline from the evolution of 

 ammonia. A partial conversion into peat is finally observed. 



Bender has analyzed the gas given off by apples when 

 they are exposed to the air in a finely divided state. The 

 experiment was made on gas prepared by heating the apples, 

 cut in small pieces, in a flask filled with water from which 

 the air had been previously expelled by boiling. At 60 gas 

 bubbles appeared, and became rapid at 100. Four apples 

 yielded about 100 cubic centimeters of gas, composed in the 

 first experiment of 40.20 per cent, of carbonic acid, 0.43 per 

 cent, of oxygen, and 59.37 per cent, of nitrogen. In subse- 

 quent trials more care was taken to exclude the air, and the 

 gas collected consisted of 31.07 per cent, of carbonic acid 

 and 68.93 per cent, of nitrogen. The author thinks the car- 

 bonic acid the result of a continuous fermentation oin<r on 

 within the mass. 



Boettger states that a dilute solution of ammonia, or a 

 rnoderateiy concentrated one of potassium or sodium hy- 

 drate, facilitates remarkably the germination of seeds, even 

 of coffee, which usually germinates with difficulty. Grains 

 of coffee moistened with such a solution of potash show, even 

 after the lapse of a few hours, a snow-white plumule one to 

 two millimeters long. 



Pierce has studied the physiological action of cotarnine 

 as contrasted with that of hydrocotarnine. While half a 

 gramme of the former could be subcutaneously injected into 

 rabbits and kittens without effect, a similar dose of the latter 

 produced rapid and well-marked tremors, passing into severe 

 epileptiform convulsions, sometimes proving fatal. 



Gerber has described a new and more accurate method for 

 the analysis of milk, by which he obtains some very satisfac- 

 tory results. 



Gautier, by dissolving fresh blood-fibrin in a solution of 

 sodium chloride and dialyzing, has obtained a solution which 

 coagulates by heat, and exhibits nearly all the properties of 

 albumin. 



Schutzenberger has continued his researches upon albu- 

 min, and gives now the general conclusion that albumin and 



