145 
days, a development of gas bubbles could be observed, and 
asmell of butyric acid ; after two weeks 29°3 per cent. of 
the sugar was found to be decomposed by fermentation. 
In another experiment (7), 0°5 grms. phenol were added, 
the other circumstances being the same. A fermentation set 
in very soon and the 05 grms. seemed to have but very little 
influence, which agrees with the fact, described by Béchamp, 
—but for which an entirely different explanation must 
be given—after two weeks 22°7 per cent. of the sugar 
was decomposed. On the addition, however, of 5 grms. 
phenol, the fermentation was entirely stopped. In a further 
experiment (g.), the chalk was heated with the sugar 
solution, for a length of time, to 100° C. and set aside 
in a well-closed flask. No fermentation set in, but after lift- 
ing the stopper from time to time, unmistakable evidences of 
fermentation showed themselves and even an addition of 05 
grms. phenol could not prevent the process. 
In the next experiment (/.), the chalk was at first heated 
to 250° C., then after cooling left in contact with the atmos- 
phere for a short time and then brought into the sugar solu- 
tion, which had been previously boiled and allowed to cool 
in a well-closed flask; here the same fermentation made its 
appearance, as mentioned in (¢.) and (/). 
It seems to me to follow, undoubtedly, from these experi- 
ments :— 
1. That Béchamp, while powdering his piece of chalk, 
taken from the interior of a great lump, gave admittance to 
the spores contained in the atmosphere, which latter produced 
fermentation. 
2. That the effect of the small quantity of phenol which 
in absence of the chalk would have been sufficient to prevent 
fermentation, was destroyed, the phenol having been absorbed 
by the pores of the chalk. The phenol, thus absorbed, was 
no more able to prevent the development of the spores falling 
from the atmosphere into the sugar solution. 
Béchamp maintains that a small quantity of creosote would 
kill the spores coming from the atmosphere, but would be 
unable to kill the ‘‘microsyma crete.” Further, he says, that 
