GEINE. 63 



not be understood. Growth is a living process. 

 Decay is a chemical process. Its laws are not only 

 understood, but its products may be limited, control- 

 led, hastened. Decay is fermentation, and this 

 marked by its several stages, ends in putrefaction. 

 Putrefaction is the silent and onward march of de- 

 cay. Its goal is geine. 



103. If dry vegetable matters are soaked in wa- 

 ter, that is soon discolored, a product of decomposi- 

 tion is obtained ; its peculiar character is, solubility 

 in water. This solution, being exposed to air, soon 

 becomes filled with little flocks, which gradually 

 subside. This sediment is still a very little soluble 

 in water, but so very sparingly, that it may be said 

 to be insoluble. If the sediment is exposed a little 

 time, to air, it regains the property of solubility in 

 water, is easily dissolved in part, by potash ley, or 

 any alkaline ley, whether caustic or mild. 



109. The original brown solution may be consid- 

 ered as extract of mould. The sediment as geine 

 and carbonaceous mould. These are either soluble 

 or insoluble in water, or alkali ; and hence, geine is 

 divided into soluble and insoluble. The soluble is 

 dissolved by water, by alcohol, by alkalies. The 

 insoluble cannot be dissolved by any of these agents, 

 nor by acids. The properties of geine, in water and 



