3i8 THE FERMENTATION OF CHEESE. 



in the ripening of cheese. BLONDEAU (I.), in 1864, was the first 

 to remark, in his researches on Roquefort cheese, that in this 

 process fat was produced at the expense of albumin. The same 

 has also lately been asserted by H. JACOBSTHAL (I.), but was 

 denied by the majority of subsequent workers, e.g. inter alia, 

 BRASSIER (I.) in 1865, N. SIEBER (II.) and O. KELLNER (I.) in 

 1880. NAGELI and 0. LOEW (I.), however, proved beyond doubt, 

 ill the case of certain Eumycetes, that lower fungi are able to con- 

 vert albumin into fat. The above-cited researches of Weidmann 

 show that no remarkable quantitative increase of fat occurs in the 

 ripening of cheese, but this does not disprove the possibility of the 

 formation of fat from albumin during the process. On the other 

 hand, G. Musso and A. Menozzi, 011 the basis of their researches 

 on Stracchino cheese, believe that such a formation of fat must be 

 assumed to occur. 



The probability of such a conversion of albumin into fat 

 cannot be rejected if we recall another process very different, 

 it is true, from an aesthetic standpoint, but, nevertheless, very 

 similar from a chemical and bacteriological point of view 

 namely, the formation of adipocere. Fatty concretions, which 

 in many cases can only have originated in albuminoids (mus- 

 cular substance, &c.), are frequently found in bodies which 

 have undergone decomposition in the grave. This question, 

 which chiefly concerns the medical profession, we need not dwell 

 "upon. Various proofs will be found in a treatise on this subject 

 by ERMANN (I.). 



176. E. Duelaux' Studies on Cantal Cheese. 



As ripening progresses, the amount of the aforesaid amido- 

 compounds continually increases, whilst the paracasein concurrently 

 decreases. This transformation may be due to two causes : one 

 entirely chemical, the other physiological. 



The earliest worker who believed the ripening of cheese to be 

 due to microbial activity was FERD. COHN (II.), who, in 1875 

 from the researches by which he controverted the hypotheses of 

 Bastian on spontaneous generation arrived at the following con- 

 clusion : " The ripening of cheese I hold to be a true fermenta- 

 tion." This fermentation he ascribed to the organisms ("lab- 

 bacilli ") present in the rennet liquid, and which he associated 

 with the bacteria then grouped under the name Bacillus subtilis, 

 a general term not to be confounded with that at present applied 

 to an entirely distinct species. Cohn's decision was based exclu- 

 sively on the microscopical examination of rennet and cheese ; and 

 the same applies also to the statements of F. BENECKE (L). 



It was not until 1878, however, that attempts were made to 

 obtain pure cultures of the presumptive cause of the ripening of 

 cheese, and to test the influence of the organism. This was effected 



