FABRICATION OF VINEGAR. 137 



of sulphuric acid adhering to the shavings washed out, the gene- 

 rator is again acidulated ; this being best effected by pouring in 

 alcoholic liquid just run off from normally working generators. 



Disturbances due to Vinegar Lice ( Vinegar- Mites). 



Unless the most scrupulous cleanliness prevails so-called vine- 

 gar lice will always be found in the factory ; they prefer places 

 kept constantly rnoist and to which the air has free access, for in- 

 stance, the draught-holes and the interior of the generators be- 

 neath the lath-bottom. As a rule manufacturers do not pay 

 much attention to their presence, as they apparently exert no 

 influence upon the regular working. That such, however, is not 

 the case will be seen from the following occurrence : In 1881, the 

 proprietor of a vinegar factory in Italy informed Dr. J. Bersch 

 that millions of small animals had appeared in the factory and 

 penetrated into the generators, the shavings up to a certain height 

 being covered with living and dead animals, and the latter putre- 

 fying, further working had become impossible. Every drop of 



Fig. 34. 



Vinegar-Mite, according to Bersch. X 120. 



vinegar running off from the generators contained one or more 

 of the mites. A small bottle half full of vinegar and closed air- 

 tight by a cork accompanied the communication. Though the 

 bottle had been 60 hours on the way, on opening it a number of 



