322 STUDIES OS FERMENTATION. 



able facts, whicli are, however, at present but vaguely connected 

 with the alcoholic fermentation of sugar by means of yeast. 

 The researches in which we have proved the existence of special 

 forms of living ferments in many fermentations, which one 

 might have supposed to have been produced by simple contact 

 action, had established beyond doubt the existence of profound 

 differences between those fermentations, which we have dis- 



and Rapports annuels de Berzelius, Paris, 1843, 3rd year. On the occasion 

 of a communication on the inversion of cane sugar, by H. Eose, published 

 in 1840, M. Mitscherlich observed : " The inversion of cane sugar in alco- 

 holic fermentation is not due to the globules of yeast, but to a soluble 

 matter in the water with which they mix. The liquid obtained by 

 straining off the ferment on a filter paper, possesses the property of con- 

 verting cane sugar into uncrystallizable sugar." 



Berthelot, Comjjfes rendus de V Acadhnie. Meeting of May 28th, 

 1860. M. Berthelot confirms the preceding experiment of Mitscherlich, 

 and proves, moreover, that the soluble matter of which that author speaks 

 may be precipitated with alcohol without losing its invertive power. 



M. Bechamp has applied Mitscherlich's obseivation, concerning the 

 soluble fermentative part of yeast, to fungoid growths, and has made the 

 interesting discovery that fungoid growths, like yeast, yield to water a 

 substance that inverts sugar. When the production of fungoid growths 

 is prevented by means of an antiseptic the inversion of sugar does not 

 take place. 



We may here say a few words respecting M, Bechamp 's claim to 

 priority of discovery. It is a well-known fact that we were the first to 

 demonstrate that living ferments might be completely developed, if their 

 germs were placed in pui'e water, together with sugar, ammonia, and 

 phosphates. Eelying on this established fact, that moulds are capable of 

 development in sweetened water, in which, according to M. Bechamp, 

 they invert the sugar, our author asserts that he has proved that, 

 "living organized ferments may originate in media which contain no 

 albuminous substances." (See Comptts rendus, vol. Ixxv. p. 1519.) To 

 be logical, M. Bechamp might say that he has proved that certain 

 moulds originate in pure sweetened water, without nitrogen or phos- 

 phates or other mineral elements, for such a deduction might very well 

 be drawn from his work, in which we do not find the least expression of 

 astonishment at the possibility of moulds developing in pure water, con- 

 taining nothing but sugar without other mineral or organic principles. 



M. Bechamp's first Note on the inversion of sugar was published in 

 1855. In it we find nothing relating to the influence of moulds. His 

 second, in which that influence is noticed, was published in January, 



