124 FORMATION OF INORGANIC ELEMENTS, ETC. 
singular and interesting phenomena is owing to small portions 
of the liquid being ejected from its bulk by the rapid action of 
the nitric acid on the organic matter in the liquid; and that 
these particles on again approaching the surface of the fluid, 
there meet with a stratum of nitrous oxide gas, or of this gas 
mixed with steam, which prevents their contact with the sub- 
jacent liquid, and upon which stratum they float, until by the 
increase of size, and consequently of weight, the buoyant 
power of this stratum of gas or vapor is insufficient to prevent 
their coming in contact with the mass of the liquid, and that 
they then reunite with it, disappearing instantaneously. 
Oxalic acid was formed and then decomposed by the con- 
tinued action of the nitric acid ; and the residue of the liquid 
after evaporating to dryness in a platinum crucible weighing 
630.4 grains, was ignited to redness in a gas furnace, with the 
occasional addition of a few drops of nitric acid ; an ash of a 
light buff color remained, weighing, w T ith the crucible, 
631.97 grains, — 630.4=1.57 grains of inorganic matter con- 
tained in 500 grains of sugar and 66.6 grains of yeast before 
fermentation. On examination, this ash was found to consist 
of an alkaline carbonate, traces of a chloride and a sulphate, 
phosphates of lime and magnesia in large proportions, and mi- 
nute traces of silica and oxide of iron. 
At the expiration of six days, one of the portions which had 
undergone vinous fermentation, and which presented the agree- 
able odor accompanying this stage of fermentation, was evapo- 
rated in a mode and with precautions exactly similar to the 
above, and the same phenomena were observed during the 
operation. The residual liquid evaporated to dryness in the 
platinum crucible weighing 630.38 grains, and ignited over a 
gas lamp to full redness, as in the first experiment, afforded an 
ash similar in appearance to the former, which, with the cruci- 
ble, weighed 631.97 grains, — 630.38=1.59 grains of inorga- 
nic matter, yielded by 500 grains of sugar and 66.6 grains of 
yeast, after undergoing the vinous fermentation. This ash 
was similarly constituted with that obtained in the first in- 
stance. 
