256 ° On the Fermentation and 
mean to be understood, one part of dry * yest (dri- 
ed upon canvas) and seven parts of water. 
II. I shall now proceed to the second enquiry. 
Is a greater quantity of spirit obtained by a free ad- 
mission or a total exclusion of the atmospherical 
air? 
Boerhaave mentions a free admission and emis- 
sion of the common air as one of the things neces- 
sary to promote fermentation, and his opinion has 
prevailed to the present day: for Mr. Chaptal ob- 
serves, that in order to develope this fermentation 
there is required, first, the access of air. Now if 
these assertions were true, my account of the ope- 
ration of fermentation would be essentially wrong; 
but the following facts will prove, that so far from 
a free access of common air being necessary to the 
spirituous fermentation it is highly injurious. 
I took a bushel of malt and infused it in a sufh- 
cient quantity of water of 180° of heat, for an hour, 
and then drew off six gallons. 
With water of 200° of heat I again infused the 
same malt another hour, and drew off an equal 
quantity. 
With water of 212° of heat, infused for an hour 
longer, I drew off six gallons more. 
Hydrogen .2900716 
* 9,4608507 lbs. of dry yest, J Oxygen 1.6437457 | 
consist of -+=----- Carbon - .7876519 
Azot - - .0393815 
Lavoisier. 
