AND THE CAUSES OF FERMENTATION. IIS 
they can be legitimately accounted for in accordance 
with the broader physico-chemical theory of fermen. 
tation, the truth of which has now been established.* 
We may also safely afirm that M. Pasteur’s more 
specific statement, to the effect that the germs of 
some Bacteria and Vibriones are capable of resisting 
the influence of a heat of 212° F. when in the moist 
state, though they are killed by a temperature of 
230° F., was a conclusion altogether unwarranted by 
the evidence which he adduced. Finding that certain 
fluids treated after the manner introduced by Schwann 
always remained quite devoid of living organisms, M.” 
Pasteur very legitimately concluded that pre-existing 
organisms and germs had been killed during the 
boiling of the liquid ; but finding that when a little 
powdered chalk was added to fluids of the same 
kind (which in all other respects were treated in a 
similar manner) living organisms were after a time 
invariably found to appear, although they as in- 
variably failed to appear when the same fluids were 
heated to a temperature of 230° F. (110° C.), two 
equally legitimate provisional conclusions were open 
* I attempted to show, nearly three years ago (see Mature, July 14, 
1870, pp. 224-228), that the differences which M. Pasteur ascribed to 
differences of vital resistance of organisms in particular fluids were just 
as explicable in accordance with the physico-chemical theory of fermen- 
tation, by reference to the different degrees of fermentability of the 
« 
several fluids, 
> I 2 
