ss 
Distillation of Ardent Spirit. 245 
chemical agents, to produce malt spirit equally pure 
with that which is obtained from any other modifica- 
tion of saccharine matter ; and most of the following 
facts are confined to malt liquor. Many other par- 
ticulars have occurred in the course of my experi- 
ments which I thought worthy of notice, and which 
I shall transcribe from my notes.—But I shall first 
make a few observations on fermentation in general. 
Fermentation is an intestine motion in the solu- 
tion of saccharine matter, whereby a new arrange- 
ment of its constituent elements takes place, and 
alcohol is produced, without the intervention of any 
other agent of any denomination whatever. 
From the above definition it will appear that I 
mean to exclude all other operations from the de- 
nomination of fermentation, excepting that in which 
Wine is produced, and, consequently, alcohol. Bel- 
lini says, that all things are full of ferments; and 
Helmont affirms, that fermentation is the sole cause 
of almost every transmutation; but the excellent 
Boerhaave was aware of the confusion which was like- 
~ ly to arise from general terms, and, therefore, limited 
the word fermentation to three distinct operations: 
the formation of alcohol, the making of vinegar, 
and the production of ammoniac; since which, a 
vinous, an acetous, and a putrid fermentation has 
been generally acknowledged,—the second as a 
consequence of the first, and the third as a conse- 
quence of the two former, 
