46 STUDIES ON FEIIMENIATION. 



retention of the liquid, and the resulting distension of the 

 bladder, that organ became irritated and produced a larger 

 quantity of mucus, and that this mucus was the ferment 

 which caused the decomposition of the urea, by virtue of a 

 chdmical action peculiar to itself. This belief can no longer be 

 held in presence of M. Pasteur's discoveries. This observer 

 has demonstrated, in the most conclusive manner, that ammo- 

 niacal fermentation, like alcoholic and acetic, is produced by 

 living beings, whose pre-existence in the fermentable liquid is 

 a necessary condition of the process. The preceding fact 

 offers a remarkable proof of M. Pasteur's theory. In spite of 

 the long duration of the retention, alkaline fermentation was 

 not produced by an excessive secretion of the vesical mucus or 

 of pus : it only began from the moment when the germs of 

 vibrios passed from the outside into the bladder."* 



Finally, we may conclude with perfect truth that the liquids 

 of our economy, blood and urine, for instance, may aiFord a 



* Davainne, Compte-rendus de VAcademie des Sciences, t. Ivii. p. 220, 

 1863. 



Coze and Feltz, Recherches cliniqnes et experimentaJes siir les maladies 

 infect ie uses, Paris, J. B. Bailliere, 1872. Summary of all their works 

 published before 18fi5. 



Dr. Lister, Medical and surgical journals, particularly the Lawet, 

 1865-67. 



Dr. GuEaiN, Compte-rendus de VAcademie dfs Sciences, March 23, 

 1874, and May 28, 1874, also the Report of M. Gosseliu, December, 

 1854. 



Dr. Sedillot, Compte-rendus de VAcademie des Sciences, November, 

 1874, t. Ixxix. p. 1108. 



Pasteur, Memoir e sur la fermentation appelee lactique. {Annales de 

 Chimie et de Physique, t. lii. S" serie, 1875.) — Animalcules infusoires, 

 vivant sans gaz oxygene litre et determinant des fermentations. {Compte- 

 rendus de VAcademie des Sciences, t. lii. 1861.) — Recherches sur la putre- 

 faction. {Compte-rendths de VAcademie des Sciences, t, Ivi. 1863.) 



GossELiN, Robin, and Pasteur, Compte-rendus de VAcademie des 

 Sciences, January 5, 1874. Urines ammoniacnles. 



Traube, Gazette hebdomadaire de medecine et de chirurgie. Sur la 

 fermentation alcaline de Vurine, April 8, 1804. 



Chauveau, Putrefaction dans Vanimal vivant. {Compte-rendus de 

 VAcademie des Sciences, April 28th, 1873.) 



