FACTS AND OBSERVATIONS. 
303 
Causes of Fermentation. —M. Pasteur, in reference 
to the interesting changes that obtain under the denomina¬ 
tion of fermentation, says that the vinous or spirituous 
form, and also the acetic, are attributable to the growth of 
certain vegetable productions, exceedingly minute, known 
respectively as yeast and vinegar plants; whereas the last 
phase, the putrefactive or destructive, is referable to the 
work of animalcules—vibriones—which can exist without 
oxygen; indeed, to them it becomes a poison, w r hile they 
luxuriate in nitrogen. 
Acetification. —M. Blondeau states that, if casein be 
added to a saccharine solution, mycoderms are developed, 
and acetic acid formed. Referring to M. Pasteur's state¬ 
ments respecting the acetifying action of certain mycoderms, 
M. Blondeau remarks that his experiments show that the 
plants perform this function only when they assume a 
membranous form, and that the property of taking oxygen 
from the air, and with it transforming alcohol into vinegar, 
belongs to the membrane as such, and is not a physiological 
action. 
A new Alkaloid. —Messrs. T. and H. Smith, of Edin¬ 
burgh, in separating aconitina from Aconitum napellus , found 
a crystalline substance, possessing alkalin eproperties, new 
to them, and which they believe must be classed among the 
natural organic alkalies. To it they have given the name of 
aconella . It does not appear to possess any poisonous pro¬ 
perty, as they gave three decigrammes of it to a cat without 
the animal experiencing any inconvenience. The characters 
of aconella, they state, bear a great resemblance to narco¬ 
tine; indeed, they suppose these two alkaloids to be one 
and the same, although obtained from plants belonging to 
different natural orders. 
A new Kind of Matico. —This drug has of late become 
scarce, and of high price consequently, through the war that 
is raging in America. As a substitute for it there has been 
introduced into the market, so states Professor Bentley, 
in a paper read by him at a meeting of the Pharmaceutical 
Society, a plant of the order Piperacece , most probably a 
species of the same genus as that which yields the officinal 
matico. It has been found distributed throughout the 
tropical regions of America and other places; and in its 
medicinal properties, when internally administered, its action . 
is found to be nearly identical with the true matico; but 
