AVINJK-MAKING IN CALIFORNIA. 291 



be observed, the knowledge of which, by exercise of common 

 sense, would enable any unbiased individual to test and judge 

 for himself. 



FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES. 



One broad principle underlies nearly all applications of 

 air-treatment for the purpose of imparting stability, and to 

 prevent deterioration in organic substances by a rapidly oxi- 

 dizing and eliminating action on the albumenous parts, 

 which all crude organic substances contain, so that by ordin- 

 ary elementary exposure the substance may decompose or 

 decay an.d thus form, in the admirable economy of nature, 

 sustenance for other organism. The presence of the albu- 

 menous parts is an essential condition of decomposition, their 

 removal insures stability, comparatively or absolute. Cur- 

 rents of air passed through the substance to act uniformly on 

 all parts, effect first of all an oxidation of the albumenous 

 matter, which is rendered insoluble and thus eliminated 

 either during fermentation, by which the sugar is converted 

 into alcohol, or by absence of fermentation at a temperature 

 above 135 F., at which organism is killed, or by both 

 modes in conjunction. These few plain intelligible facts 

 constitute the whole basis of air-treatment, the applications 

 are simply deductions. 



It is certainly an error that all albumenous matter coagu- 

 lates at a certain high temperature; if this were correct, a 

 fluid so heated for hours could, if clear and limpid, contain 

 no albumen. Experience plainly contradicts this, for in- 

 stance, in vegetable or animal extracts obtained by heat, 

 malt or grain wort, saccharine juices, crude oils, fats, etc. 

 Nor do these and other substances, containing gluten or al- 

 bumen, acquire stability by mere heating; if, [after cooling, 

 the germs of micoderms in the air find access, they cause 

 fermentation or decay, as long as they find albumenous parts 

 to feed upon. These however removed, no micodermic 



