112 MICEOBES, FERMENTS, AND MOULDS. 



VIII. PUTREFACTION, OR THE FERMENTATION OF 

 DEAD ORGANIC MATTER; A GAME FLAVOUR. 



The flesh of animals used for food is said to be 

 high in the first stage of alteration which occurs when 

 it is left to itself. Pasteur does not believe that this 

 effect is produced by the intervention of the ferments 

 of the air, although this is the case with the putrefac- 

 tion which follows. He thinks that it merely results 

 from the action of what are called soluble or natural 

 ferments in the serum of the meat, and that there is 

 a chemical, reciprocal reaction of the liquids and solids 

 which are withdrawn from the normal action of vital 

 nutrition. This explanation is adapted to satisfy those 

 epicures who have a taste for high game and not for 

 microbes. Yet it is certain that this condition passes 

 into true putrefaction without any abrupt transition, 

 and we know that immediately after death the microbes, 

 which penetrate everywhere, take possession of the 

 animal tissues and begin their work of destruction. 

 When flesh is high, it is therefore probable that it 

 is in the first stage of putrefaction. 



Gautier has made some experiments on the sub- 

 ject, and holds that this condition is certainly due 

 to the action of microbes, and consequently to germs 

 in the air. In fact, meat which is placed in a soldered 

 and air-tight case after it has been deprived of germs 

 by a suitable process, is devoid of any high odour at 



