46 MICRO-ORGANISMS AND FERMENTATION. 



were bacteria. The air near the grains thus contained fewer 

 bacteria than the air of the garden. The most abundant 

 contamination here was that of mould-fungi, as in all the 

 other localities. After a thorough examination Hansen 

 came to the conclusion that, without any doubt, scarcely a 

 single organism which entered the flasks proceeded from the 

 grains. At all events the great abundance of bacteria in the 

 grains does not bear any correct relation to the above-stated 

 result, which, with far greater probability, admits of the 

 explanation that the air in this, as in other cases, does not 

 take up any contingent of organisms from moist surfaces. 



This, however, must not be misunderstood to mean that 

 grains may be accumulated, without risk, in any chosen 

 place, and the remains after removal exposed to the weather. 

 It is clear that this would constitute a great danger. When 

 the remains become dry and are blown about in the air as 

 dust, masses of bacterial germs will be carried up at the 

 same time, and will, without doubt, constitute a source of 

 constant bacterial contamination. For this reason, places 

 where grains have remained for any length of time must 

 be washed with lime-water or, preferably, with chloride of 

 lime. 1 



In a corridor which led to the room where the barley was 

 turned, the flasks always received a greater contamination 

 than anywhere else ; bacteria especially were found in great 

 abundance. 



On the malt floors the condition of the air was also 

 characteristic ; it always contained a very strong growth of 

 mould. In the case in question this growth consisted of 

 Eurotium Aspergillus, which was otherwise rare. On the 

 malt itself, as always, Penicillium glaucum occurred the most 

 frequently. 



1 The germs are not killed during the treatment of the grains in the 

 drying machines. Such apparatus, therefore, constitute a very great 

 danger in the brewery, in cases where the bacteria can become transported 

 from the dried grains to the open coolers. 



