FORMATION OF INORGANIC ELEMENTS, ETC. 
123 
tash, 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 mat- 
ter is produced during vinous fermentation. 
To satisfy myself respecting the correctness of Mr. Rigg's 
statement that the quantity of inorganic matter in a liquid is 
increased from fifteen to nineteen times when carbonic acid is 
present, I dissolved 1500 grains of the best refined sugar in 
one and a half pints of distilled water, and added 200 grains 
of risen beer yeast, then thoroughly mixed them by agitation. 
This solution was passed through fine cambric to separate any 
insoluble impurities which the solution contained, and divided 
into three exactly equal portions. Of these, two portions were 
respectively placed in German glass jars, and immediately co- 
vered with unglazed paper covers ; the paper was of a close 
texture and carefully gummed down round the exterior of the 
jars, to prevent any inorganic matter, as dust, &c, from get- 
ting into the solutions. These jars were placed in a warm 
situation in the laboratory, the temperature varying from 60° 
to 70° F., and the fermentation allowed to proceed. The third 
portion was then put into a flask and boiled, occasionally add- 
ing pure nitric acid ; this acid left no stain when a portion was 
evaporated to dryness in a porcelain capsule ; the flask was 
kept in an oblique position, to prevent any of the liquid being 
ejected by the action of the nitric acid. During the ebullition 
of the liquid, nitrous acid fumes were slowly formed, and the 
liquid assumed a primrose yellow color ; numerous spherules 
of liquid were formed, and coursed hither and thither with 
great velocity, the larger spherules seemingly attracting the 
smaller ; and when by this union the globule had attained 
about the size of a coriander seed, it disappeared, being again 
united to the bulk of the boiling solution. T imagine that this 
