CHAPTER XIV 



EFFECTS OF RADIUM RAYS ON ALCOHOLIC 

 FERMENTATION 



Experiment 84 



To ascertain the effect of radium rays on alcoholic fermentation, 

 a small piece of Fleishmann's compressed yeast cake was well mixed 

 with 25 c.c. of a 5 per cent, solution of cane sugar. Two saccha- 

 rimeters were then filled with 10 c.c. of the mixture. Into one sac- 

 charimeter was placed a sealed glass tube containing 10 mg. of 

 RaBrg, of activity 1,500,000, with all the radium in the submerged 

 end of the tube. 



A control saccharimeter contained an empty sealed glass tube, and 

 both cultures were placed side by side at the same temperatures. 



Readings of the saccharimeter-scale during fermentation were 

 recorded as follows : 



Time Radium Control 



12 M. 0.00 c.c. 0.00 c.c. 



2 P. M. 2.80 2.40 



3 P. M. 3.50 2.80 



4 P. M. 3.40 3.20 



In a repetition of this experiment, using the sealed glass tube 

 containing RaBr2 of 7,000 activity, the following scale-readings 

 were recorded : 



Control 

 0.00 c.c. 

 •30 

 •50 

 .80 



The results are shown in figure 55. 



Again, using the radium of 1,500,000 activity, the following re- 

 sults were recorded : 



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