TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION B. 585 



6. On Brewing in Japan. 

 By Professor R. W. Atkinson, B.Sc. {Loyid.). 



The Japanese brewing process is divided into two parts, comparable with the 

 malting and brewing processes of beer-making. The preparation and properties 

 of the diastatic material are, however, diU'erent, for whilst malt-extract hydrates 

 cane-sugar, dextrin, and starch, the Japanese kcji hydrates maltose in addition, so 

 that the ultimate products of its action upon starch-paste are dextrose and dextrin, 

 or even the former alone. It further difiers from malt in the fact that its solution 

 is rendered inactive by heat at a lower temperature, about 70° 0., and also by the 

 manner of its formation. Unlike malt, the active properties of hoji are not due to 

 the growth of the embryo, because tbe embryos are broken away by rough treat- 

 ment, but by the growth over the steamed and cooled grains of rice of the mycelium 

 of a fiuagus, the result of which is to burn away a good deal of the carbon and 

 hydrogen of the rice, much heat being liberated, and to render soluble the pre- 

 viously insoluble albuminoid matter. 



The brewing process proper is divided into two stages, the first stage being 

 intended to prepare an actively growing yeast, the germs of which are sown 

 spontaneously in the mash. A mixture of steamed-rice, kdji, and water is allowed 

 to remain in shallow tubs at a low temperature (0°-5° 0.) until quite liquid, after 

 which it is heated, fermentation setting in inunediately and continuing until 

 nearly all the dextrose first formed is exhausted. This product is now used like 

 yeast, and is added to fresh quantities of steamed-rice, Iwji, and water, fermenta- 

 tion proceeding actively until the percentage of alcohol amounts to about 13 or 

 14 per cent, by weight. The conversion of starch into sugar and of the latter into 

 alcohol go on concurrently, the diastase of the kdji transforming the starch 

 throughout the whole process. After the greater part of the rice added has been 

 used up the mash is filtered, clarified by standing, and when summer approaches, 

 and signs of putrefactive fernientation appear, the sake is heated in iron vessels, 

 an operation which preserves it for a time. No precautions being taken against 

 the reintroduction of disease-germs, the heating process must be repeated about 

 once a month throughout the siunmer. 



Analyses of various specimens, fresh and diseased, are given in the paper. 



7. On Peppermint-camphor (Menthol) and some of its Derivatives. 

 By Professor R. W. Atkinson, B.Sc. (Land.), and H. Toshiba. 



Determinations of some of the physical constants of menthol, menthone, men- 

 thene, and a hydrocarbon obtained by the action of hydric iodide upon menthol, 

 with subsequent decomposition by caustic soda and metallic sodium, have been 

 made. 



J fcnthoL— C^m.^fi. Melting point, 42-2°C. Solidifying point, 40-3°C. BoiHng 

 point, 212°C. (corr.). Optical activity, determined from solutions in alcohol 

 (96%), chloroform, benzene, and carbon disulphide, was found to be — 59-92° + 0'2. 

 The number obtained for its optical activity in glacial acetic acid was much lower 

 i.e. — 54-28°. All the above values express the specific rotatory power of menthol, 

 independent of solvents. Menthol regenerated from its ketone has a specific 

 rotatory power in alcohol solution — 39-66°. 



Menthone. — Ci°HjgO. This body stands to menthol in the same relation that 

 camphor stands to borneol. It is a clear, colourless liquid, boiling at 206-3° C (corr.) 

 Its specific rotatory power is + 21*16°. Its specific gravity at 0°0. is 0-9126, 

 and the specific gravities and volumes at higher temperatures are given in the 

 paper. Ihe molecular refraction was found to be 75'3, that calculated from 

 Briihl's numbers (carbon singly united) being 75-11. 



Menthene. — C'Hig. This boils at 167-4° (corr.). Its specific gravity at 

 0°,D| = 0-82266, and the specific gravities at temperatures up to 60° 0. are given 

 in the paper. The specific rotatory power is [a], = 13'25°. The molecular refi-action 

 was foimd to be 74-045, which indicates that two carbon atoms are doubly com- 



