TRANSLATIONS FROM CONTINENTAL JOURNALS. 729 
product to take place, which reduces them to the most simple 
binary combinations, such as water, ammonia, and carbonic 
acid. There remains still to distinguish the very remarkable 
case of putrefaction in which the liquid has very little depth 
with easy access of atmospheric air. I will experimentally 
demonstrate that the fermentation and the putrefaction can 
then be absolutely hindered, and that the organic matter will 
yield only to the phenomena of combustion. Such are the 
results of putrefaction effected with free contact of the atmo¬ 
spheric air. On the other hand, in the case of putrefaction 
not in contact with the air, or without air, the products of 
the inner part of the pellicle remain unaltered. 
Just now 1 stated that putrefaction in contact with the air 
was a phenomenon, if not always more rapid, at least more 
perfect and more destructive of the organic matter than pu¬ 
trefaction not in contact with the air. But in order to make 
this better understood, I will adduce some instances. Let 
us allow the lactate of lime to putrefy, the air being excluded. 
The vibrious ferments will transform the lactate into divers 
products, amongst which will always figure the butyrate of 
lime. This new combination is undecomposible by the 
vibrions that have provoked it, and will remain in the liquor 
without any change whatever. But let us repeat the same 
operation in contact with the air. As fast as the vibrious 
ferments act in the interior of the liquid the pellicle on the 
surface burns up by degrees completely the butyrate of 
lime. If the fermentation is very active, the phenomenon of 
combustion on the surface stops, but on account only of the 
carbonic acid disengaged preventing the access of atmospheric 
air. The phenomenon recommences as soon as the fermen¬ 
tation is either completed or arrested. It is the same exactly 
if you ferment a solution of sugar excluded from the air. 
The liquid becomes charged with alcohol which is indestruc¬ 
tible ; while if you operate in contact with the air the alcohol, 
after having become acidified, is burned up, and is entirely 
transformed into water and carbonic acid gas; then it is the 
vibrions appear, and putrefaction follows, when the liquid 
contains nothing more than water and nitrogenized matter. 
Finally, in their turn the vibrions and the products of putre¬ 
faction are burnt by the Bacteriums or the Mucorii ; the latter 
surviving cause the combustion of those w r hich have preceded, 
and thus is accomplished the integral return of the elements to 
the atmosphere and to the mineral state of organized matter. 
Let us now consider putrefaction in solid substances. I 
have proved recently that the body of an animal is closed, in 
ordinary cases, against the introduction of the germs of 
xxxvii. 47 
