20 



THE BEGINNINGS OE LIEE. 



#' 



immution 



facilitate such chemical changes, so that one can only 

 explain the results which I have obtained, on the 

 ground that many boiled fluids, which will not undergo 

 change when protected from the influence of atmo- 

 spheric particles (living or not living) at the same time 

 that they are subjected to ordinary or increased pressure, 

 will, on the contrary, pass through such changes when 

 pressure is diminished, by the fluids being preserved 

 In vacuo'^. It is not pretended that this is a rule 

 applicable to all fermentable fluids — far fiom it^. 



* See vol. i. p. 350. 



^ On this subject, see vol. i. pp. 418-420. 



^ I very soon convinced myself, in fact, that diminution of pressure 

 exercised very little effect over the changes which take place in solutions 



<5 



to« 



6 



su 



«■ 



bject 

 ;.^ the D^tare 



c 



taDces. 



in accord 



iDttstigators, tend 



learrangementj 

 tre 'spontan 



change 



pretty evident. Germs and atmospheric particles beina 



equally got rid of in both modes of experimentation" 



the great difference between them is that the weight of 



the atmosphere is also got rid of in my experiments 



the fluids being contained In vacuo. But, as I have 



already pointed out % it has been ascertained by Mr. 



Sorby, that pressure undoubtedly influences "^chemical 



changes taking place slowly,' and such as are therefore 



'probably due to weak or nearly counterbalanced 



affinities j' and it has also been shown that 'pressure 



will more or less influence such chemical actions as are 



accompanied by an evolution of gas, so that it may 



cause a compound to be permanent, which otherwise 



would be decomposed.' But, if increase of pressure j ity of certain nitr 



of free oxygen. ^'. 

 reraled the additic 

 Muence of a modi 



will un( 



«sels, from which 



s^me time, th 

 '"^'^ products '. 



*r than i 



e changes. 



eous 



i 



'"iJioni 



ic 



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tartrat 



10.' 1 "t. 



e 



and 



p.: 



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ire 



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