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XLV. Observations on the supposed 'Formation of inor- 
ganic Elements during Fermentation. By Mr. J, Denham 
I N the October Number of last year’s Phil. Mag., [present 
series, vol. xv. p. 329] there appeared an abstract of va- 
rious papers read at the meetings of the Royal Society, one of 
which, entitled Additional Experiments on the Formation 
of Alkaline and Earthy Bodies by chemical action when car- 
bonic acid is present, by Robert Rigg, Esq., F.R.S.”, attracted 
my particular notice, from the novel and most extraordinary 
nature of the results announced in it. 
Although the Royal Society has always carefully disclaimed 
any participation in, or support of, the theories and observa- 
tions brought before or published by it, yet the circumstance 
of a paper being read to the first learned society of these 
kingdoms, and the author of that paper a Fellow of the So- 
ciety, gives weight and sanction to the observations adduced. 
This circumstance was one of the chief reasons which led 
me to make the following experiments on the subject of this 
novel formation of inorganic elements by catalytic action. 
I much regret that in the abstract of the paper which ap- 
peared in this Magazine, no details of any of the experi- 
ments are given ; the substances used, the apparatus, and 
the results obtained, only being mentioned. It appears that 
‘‘ the author gives a detailed account of several experiments 
in which sugar, water, and yeast only were employed, and 
from which he deduces the conclusion that alkaline and earthy 
matters are formed by chemical action. In one set of experi- 
ments, some of which were made in silver, others in china, 
and others in glass apparatus, after the vinous fermentation 
had gone on during five days, the quantity of ashes obtained 
was, m the silver apparatus eighteen^ in the china nineteen^ and 
in the glass fifteen times greater than the previous quantity\. 
A further examination of these ashes showed that they con- 
sisted of potash, soda, lime, and a residue not acted upon by 
muriatic acid.” 
Thus having no data of the respective quantities of sugar, 
water, and yeast Mr. Rigg used, I may not have employed 
these substances in the proportions with which he experi- 
mented ; if this should be the case, I presume, however, that 
this circumstance will not in any way tend to vitiate the re- 
sults I have obtained ; the question being whether inorganic 
matter is produced during vinous fermentation. 
* Communicated by the Author. 
t These sentences are not printed in italics in the original. 
