604 VITAL ACTIONS OF THE LOWER FUNGI. 



when mixed with sewer-mud, carbonate of lime, carbonic acid, 

 and hydrogen ; acetate of lime, treated in a similar manner, 

 gives carbonate of lime, carbonic acid, and marsh gas. 



Lactate of lime undergoes, according to Fitz, four different 

 kinds of fermentation ; in the first place, under the influence 

 of a thin bacillus, which often forms long chains, it gives rise 

 to the propionic acid fermentation, in which acetic acid, suc- 

 cinic acid, and alcohol appear as bye-products ; the process 

 may probably be expressed by the formula 3 CaH^ OH COOH 

 (lactic acid) = 2 C 2 H 5 COOH (propionic acid) +CH 3 COOH 

 (acetic acid) +C0 2 +H 2 O. In the second place, the acetate 

 of lime under other conditions furnishes, along with propionic 

 acid, large quantities of normal valerianic acid ; from 3 

 kilogrammes, 126 grammes of propionic acid and 101 grammes 

 of valerianic acid were obtained. Thirdly, as the result of the 

 action of the short aerobic butyric acid bacilli discovered by 

 Fitz, butyric acid and propionic acid were chiefly formed. 

 Fourthly, Pasteur (Comptes rendus, 1861) long ago observed 

 the butyric acid fermentation of lactate of lime ; Fitz obtained 

 in this fermentation, from 500 grammes of lactate of lime, 

 about 34 grammes of butyrate of lime, and also 3'6 grammes 

 of aethylic and butylic alcohol. This fermentation may be 

 represented by the formula 2 (C 2 H 4 OH COO) 2 Ca (lactate of 

 lime) = CO 3 Ca (carbonate of lime) +3 C0 2 +4 H 2 + (C 3 H 7 

 COO) 2 Ca (butyrate of lime). 



Glycerinate of lime gives, when fermented by longish micro- 

 cocci, chiefly acetate of lime, along with a little succinic acid 

 and asthylic alcohol ; the pure fermentation probably occurs 

 according to the formula (C 2 H 3 (OH) 2 COO) 2 Ca (glycerinate 

 of lime) = (CH 3 COO) 2 Ca (acetate of lime) +2 C0 2 +2 H 2 . 

 The same material can also be fermented, by means of fairly 

 large bacilli, to formic acid, with a little methylic alcohol and 

 acetic acid as bye-products. 



Malate of lime can likewise undergo several fermentations. 

 Under the influence of thin bacilli the same which caused 

 the fermentation of glycerine succinic acid (about 60 per cent, 

 of the material) and a little acetic acid are formed ; with other 

 shorter bacilli propionic acid is the chief product, along with 

 a little acetic acid. In the third place, there is, at times, a 

 formation of butyric acid, with the development of hydrogen ; 

 and finally, according to Schiitzenberger, the malate of lime 

 is split up with the formation of lactic acid and carbonic 

 acid. 



Tartrate of lime gives rise either to the propionic acid fer- 

 mentation found by Pasteur, and also obtained by Fitz, which 

 probably takes place according to the formula 3 CH 6 O 6 (tar- 

 taric acid) = C 2 H 5 COOH (propionic acid) +2 CH 3 COOH 

 (acetic acid) -\ 5 C0 2 +2H. 2 ; or butyric acid fermentation 



