56 
FERMENTATION OF THE MALATE OF LIME. 
was remarkable ; the mother-ley contained in its stead a 
quantity of butyric acid. From 24 to 30 oz. of oily butyric 
acid (which, however, was not free from acetic acid,) were 
obtained from the mother-liquor. There is at the same 
time formed another volatile product, of an oily ethereal 
nature, which is procured by distilling the mother-liquor 
containing the lime salts; it is colorless, readily soluble in 
water, and has a powerful agreeable odor of apples. It is 
separated from water by carbonate of potash and by chlo- 
ride of calcium (of which it dissolves a considerable quan- 
tity in the anhydrous state.) It is one of the so-called 
fermentoles, of which several, as first suspected by Ber- 
zelius, are probably compounds similar to alcohol or the 
aldehydes. 
The formation of the succinic acid is explained in the 
following manner: — 6 eqs. malic acid take up the elements 
of 3 eqs. water, and produce 4 eqs. succinic acid, 4 eqs. car- 
bonic acid, and 1 eq. acetic acid: 
If butyric acid is produced directly from malic acid, there 
should be disengaged on the whole, carbonic acid and 
hydrogen in the proportion by volume of 1 : 2 ; but as at 
least 3 eqs. of the carbonic acid are retained by the lime, 
the proportion of carbonic acid and hydrogen obtained 
should be as 10 : 8 or as 5: 4 vols. 
If we imagine butyric acid to be produced from succinic 
acid, the carbonic acid and hydrogen disengaged should be 
in the proportion of 2: 1. 
C 1G H 12 20 _ C I6 H' 2 20 
Of the 8 equivs. carbonic acid, 3 are retained by the 
lime. 
6 eq. malic acid, 
3 eq. water, 
C 24 H 12 24 ^ 
H 3 O 3 5 
C 4 eq. succinic acid, C 16 H 12 16 
== < 4 eq. carbonic acid, C 4 O 8 
( 1 eq. acetic acid, C 4 H 3 O 3 
4 eq. malic acid, 
Add to which 
