385 



bleached. The cnrd which is foriiicil soon bocjins to dissolve, though the solution is 

 never quite complete. The liquid thus formed is slimy. 



[lu bouillon] its growth is iibuudant. A thin membrane forms on the surface. The 

 bouillon b:'comrs remarkably slimy. :!nil run be drawn out into threads 10 feetlou". 

 Od(U- and taste like that of bitter milk. 



Wlieiia quantity of bouillon iu which the, micrococcus had been grow- 

 II i>; for a couple of days was added to sterilized millc, addiiii;' chloroform 

 at t'le same time to prevent further growth, tlic milk curdled in less 

 thiVA lialf an hour. "Since no bacterial growth ever produces curdling 

 in so short a tinu;, and since, moreover, the presence of chloroform pre- 

 vents the bacteria growth, there is no question that in this ca.se a chemi- 

 cal fcriricnt must have been present in solution. Ihavenot yet isohited 

 the teriueiit." 



Two separate trials were made in which cream was divided into two 

 portions, one portion being aUowed to ripen in the ordinary manner 

 and tlie other inoculated witli a "milk culture of the bitter organisms.'' 

 Eacli cream was <hurned after ripening for 48 hours. In each of the 

 trials the butter obtained front the inoculated cream '^lad a slightly 

 rancid odor and taste, and had a verv bad flaAor. It leaves a stroni>-, 

 burning taste on the back of the tongue, Mhich could be perceived for 

 half an hour after the butter was swallowed. The butter was, in short, 

 not fit to use." 



The butter from the uninoculated cream " was a fair quality of win- 

 ter butter."' The samples were salted and their keeping qualities tested. 

 "In two days tlie test butter was strongly rancid, and the taste was 

 strong and burning. The control butter was only slightly changed. 



"From these experiments it is plain that the bitter organism thus 

 described is one which will prove an injury to the butter, and must be 

 avoided in all attempts to obtain first quality butter.'- A test of the 

 milk cultures of the organism indicated the presence of butjTic acid. 



On the Schulze-Tiemann jiethod of estimating nitric acid, 

 H. B. Gibson, B. A. (pp. 163-173). — The sf>urces of error in the deter- 

 mination of intric acid by this method are enumerated, and experiments 

 reported which were intended to test the errors arising from (1) the 

 absorption of nitric oxide by the caustic soda solution over which it 

 is collected, and (2) the difference between the temperature of the 

 nitric oxide and the surrounding water bath, where the modified Schiff 

 azotometer is used. The indications of the experiments are- summa- 

 rized as follows: 



Care should be taken to coneeutrate the sohitiou of nitrates as much as possible 

 before adding reagents. The reagents should be added in a very ccuucutratcd i'ttrm, 

 and the mixture allowed to digest well before heat is apj)lied. 



lu passing nitric acid through sidutions of caustic soda of various degrees of satu- 

 ration, a saturated s(duti(m absiubs the least, but on stisuding over the same solu- 

 tions it absorbs the most. In the use of the moditied Schitf azotometer with a 

 saturated solution of caustic soda most of the absorption is obviated. 



