Proceedings of the Philosophical Society of Glasgow. 2'11 



passed through common filtering paper. The yeast globules and vinegar 

 plant, when introduced into a solution of permanganate of potash, remove 

 its fine colour rapidly, but the action is not so instantaneous as when 

 these globules are placed in the ferrate of potash. The action in these 

 instances appears to be parallel to that of the deoxidation and decolour- 

 ization of the permanganate of potash by spongy platinum, which is, how- 

 ever, somewhat more slow than that of the influence exerted by the yeast 

 plant. It is in this way also that the cellular matter, in the form of 

 chips of birch, acts in the formation of vinegar from alcohol in the quick 

 vinegar process. 



Analysis of the Vinegar Plant. 



107-05 grs. gave 101-2 water. 



— 6-85 solid residue. 



The constitution of 100 per cent, was found. 



Water 9453 



Cellulose 5-134 



Alkaline salts '336 



100- 



The salts, when dissolved in water, indicated the presence of chloride, 

 sulphate, and a trace of phosphate. The plant, when digested in weak 

 caustic soda, gave a turbidity when the alkaline fluid was saturated with 

 acetic acid, indicating the presence of some albuminous matter. 



Mr. Alexander Harvey exhibited and described Mr. Kennedy's water 

 meter. 



March 31, 1852. — Mr. Crtjm in the Chair. 



The Council reported, that after carefully considering Mr. Robert 

 Blackie's motion for a change in the method of electing members of 

 Council, they agreed to recommend its adoption by the Society, with this 

 modification, that the entire Council should retire from office every year ; 

 eight of the twelve members being re-eligible, and four not being re- 

 eligible until they shall have been out of office for one year — the election 

 to be regulated otherwise in the manner proposed to be enacted by the 

 motion. 



Mr. Blackie having expressed his concurrence in the alteration of his 

 motion, the Society unanimously approved of the Council's report ; and it 

 was further resolved, by the first vote of the Society, that the substance 

 of the following regulation respecting the annual election of office-bearers, 

 shall be embodied in the thirteenth section of the constitution of the 

 Society, in place of the penultimate clause as at present, namely : — 



" The president, the treasurer, the secretaries, and the librarian, may 

 be re-elected. Neither of the two vice-presidents shall be eligible fur 



