STUDIES ON FERMENTATION. 323 



tinguished as fermentations proper, and tlie phenomena con- 

 nected with soluble substances. The more we advance, the 

 more clearly we are able to detect these differences. M. Dumas 

 has insisted on the fact that the ferments of fermentation 

 proper multiply and reproduce themselves in the process, 

 whilst the others are destroyed.* Still more recently M. 

 Miintz has shown that chloroform prevents fermentations 

 proper, but does not interfere with the action of diastase 

 {Compter rendus, 1875.) M. Bouchardat had already esta- 

 blished the fact that "hydrocyanic acid, salts of mercury, 

 ether, alcohol, creosote, and the oils of turpentine, lemon, 

 cloves, and mustard destroy or check alcoholic fermentation, 

 whilst in no way interfering with the glucoside fermentations 

 {Annales de Chimie et de Physique, 3rd series, t. xiv., 1845.) 

 "VVe may add, in praise of M. Bouchardat's sagacity, that that 

 skilful observer has always considered these results as a proof 

 that alcoholic fermentation is dependent on the life of the 

 yeast-cell, and that a distinction should be made between the 

 two orders of fermentation. ■ 



M. Paul Bert, in his remarkable studies on the influence of 



1858, that is, subsequently to our work on lactic fermentation, which 

 appeared in November, 1857. In that work we established, for the 

 first time, that the lactic ferment is a living organized being, that albu- 

 minoiis substances have no share in the iiroduction of fermentation, and 

 that they only serve as the food of the ferment. M. Bechamp's Note 

 was even subsequent to our first work on alcoholic fermentation, which 

 appeared on December 21st, 1857. It is since the appearance of these 

 two works of ours that the preponderating influence of the life of 

 microscopic organisms, in the phenomena of fermentation, has been 

 better understood. Immediately after their appearance M. Bechamp, 

 who, from 1855, had made no observation on the action of fungoid 

 growths on sugar, although he had remarked their presence, modified 

 his former conclusions. {Comptes rendus, January 4th, 1858.) 



• " There are two classes of ferments ; the first, of which the yeast of 

 beer may be taken as the type, perpetuate and renew themselves if they 

 can find in the liquid in which they produce fermentation food enough 

 for their wants ; the second, of which diastase is the tj^e, always sacri- 

 fice themselves in the exercise of their activity." (Dumas, Comptes 

 rendus de V Academie, t. Ixxv. p. 277, 1872.) 



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