234 Dynamic Theory. 



citric acid, tartaric acid or borax, while either of these will put a stop 

 to the operations of a diastase. On the other hand, compressed oxy- 

 gen, which will, in the course of time, destroy the organic ferment, does 

 not hurt the diastase. Prussic acid, the mercurial salts, alcohol, ether, 

 chloroform, and the essences of cloves, turpentine, lemon, mustard, &c. , 

 will prevent the action of the organic ferment, while they do not disturb 

 that of the soluble diastase. 



The organic ferment eats and grows. It cannot do this until its 

 friend the diastase has broken up the starchy matters containing its 

 food. Let the two ferments get into an organic compound ; the dias- 

 tase at once splits up by h} T dration the insoluble starches. After this 

 the various kinds of organic ferments get in their work, some in one 

 kind of compound and some in another ; those most available being, in 

 general, the glucoses, albuminoid matters, alcohol, urea, and various 

 acids, such as citric, malic, lactic, tartaric, &c. 



Watts gives the name ' ' Invertin " to the soluble ferment accompany- 

 ing yeast saccharomyces, and says that it is manufactured by the cells 

 of the yeast. In like manner, he says, Bacteria convert starch into a 

 sugar capable of reducing cupric oxide by means of a ferment which 

 they secrete. This ferment is soluble and can be precipitated by alco- 

 hol. It acts on starch in the absence of oxygen and is secreted by Bac- 

 teria in a neutral starch solution. It does not possess peptonizing 

 properties, but the same Bacteria can, under proper conditions, produce 

 a ferment that will. ( Watts' C hem. Dictionary, 2-540.) 



From a physical standpoint it is inaccurate to speak of a soluble fer- 

 ment as amorphous, for its ultimate particles, either as cells or mole- 

 cules, must certainly possess a definite characteristic molecular or 

 atomic constitution and form, giving position to its magnetic poles and 

 direction to its currents. And it is only when its disintegration has 

 gone so far as to subvert this ultimate constitution of its particles, that 

 the ferment is dead, amorphous and f unctionless. Mere mechanical 

 grinding up cannot accomplish such disintegration, as it does in the case 

 of the organic ferment ; it can be done only through chemical or other 

 dynamic agencies which destroy the molecule by the seduction or dis- 

 persion of its atoms. _ 



CHAPTER XXIX. 



REPRODUCTION OP VEGETAL CELLS. 



There are various opinions as to the manner in which life originates 

 or comes into view in a mass of apparently dead matter. Examine any 

 summer puddle of a few days' duration and it will be found teeming 

 with lively and active organisms. The question that has been a subject 



