408 PHYSIOLOGY OF BACTERIA 



from nine to twelve hours 9.4 X 10"^° mg. This difference cor- 

 responds to only 0.05 c.c. of alkah in titration, and is well within the 

 Hmits of error. As soon as the quantities of acid become much larger 

 than the experimental error, the fermenting capacity per cell becomes 

 quite stable. This stabiHzation can also be accomplished by com- 

 putation over larger periods, as is shown in Table 133 in the column 

 marked "corrected." 



For the first value of the fermenting capacity in these cultures, 

 different zero-points are possible. They gave very similar results. 

 For culture II, the fermenting capacity was for the period to 

 twelve hours: 10.6, for three to twelve hours, 11.25, and for six to 

 twelve hours, 11.3 10-^**. This agreement is a good proof for the 

 accuracy of the formula. 



