FERMENTS, FERMENTATIONS, AND LIFE. 275 



perfect integrity, only one means avails, but that is an in- 

 fallible one that of thoroughly precluding the access to 

 them of the aerial germs of vibrios and bacteria. Whether 

 we adopt D'Appert's method and begin by subjecting 

 these substances to the action of high temperature, pre- 

 serving them after that in hermetically-closed vessels ; or 

 whether, as we have seen very lately practised by Bous- 

 singault, we introduce them into an extremely cold medium ; 

 or whether we saturate them with such salts as have an- 

 tiseptic properties, in every case they are protected from 

 putrefaction by paralyzing the effects of the lower organ- 

 isms. The corruption of animals is not more possible than 

 the fermentation of grape-juice, barley-wort, milk etc., 

 when it is made impossible for the germs to act. This is 

 another fact demonstrated by Pasteur. 



We have just used the term antiseptic, that is, capa- 

 ble of destroying germs, and preventing the action of fer- 

 ments. The interest connected with such substances is 

 easily understood. In truth, they are at the present time 

 the chief objective point of therapeutic researches. At the 

 same time that chemists and physiologists are engaged 

 with persevering zeal in studying the functions of micro- 

 scopic corpuscles in living Nature, physicians, perceiving 

 their manifold and baneful activity in the production of 

 disease, are seeking the means of reaching and destroying 

 them. Every one knows those principles, like phenic acid, 

 which are extracted from pitch, and are also found in smoke, 

 to which they impart antiseptic properties that have been 

 utilized from time immemorial. Other substances have 

 been lately discovered, not less remarkable for their ener- 

 getic resistance to fermentation and virus. Among the 

 number are the alkaline sulphites and hyposulphites, which 

 have been the object of very interesting examination on 

 the part of an Italian physician, Polli; the borates and 

 silicates of potassa and soda, to which Dumas invited the 



