462  FACTS  AND  THEORIES  OF  FERMENTATION. 
with  extremely  minute  circular  globules,  requiring  great  atten- 
tion to  distinguish  them,  resembling  the  globules  of  the  Penicil- 
lium  glaucum,  although  much  smaller.  The  flocculent  mass  above 
mentioned  was  resolved  into  a  vegetation  of  the  utmost  beauty 
and  regularity,  consisting  of  extremely  delicate  fibres  interlacing 
with  each  other  and  covered  in  parts  with  sporules  and  globules. 
The  plant  resembled  somewhat  the  Penicillium  glaucum,  but  was 
far  more  delicate  in  its  structure,  and  did  not  appear  composed 
of  globules  extended  longitudinally,  forming  cells,  as  is  the  case 
in  the  latter. 
When  a  portion  of  the  clear  washing  liquid  was  placed  in  a 
bottle  with  10  per  cent,  of  fresh  sugar,  a  new  flocculent  deposit 
formed  in  a  few  days,  possessing  the  general  characteristics  of 
that  above  described.  A  portion  of  the  sugar  from  the  top  of 
the  filter  was  next  examined,  but  the  most  rigid  scrutiny  failed 
to  detect  any  organic  structure,  either  in  the  sugar  in  grains  or 
in  the  solution  obtained  by  dissolving  it  in  10  times  its  weight  of 
distilled  water.  Another  portion  was  then  dissolved  in  the  same 
amount  of  water,  and  placed  aside  for  several  weeks,  but  no 
trace  of  globules  or  other  organisms  could  be  found.  The  ex- 
aminations and  drawing  were  all  made  with  a  Powel  &  Leland's 
microscope,  J  in.  objective,  and  highest  power  of  eye  piece,  giving 
a  magnifying  power  of  about  800  diameters. 
When  the  flask  a  was  opened,  on  the  26th  of  February,  it  pre- 
sented all  the  properties  of  the  original  wort,  being  perfectly 
sweet,  having  a  very  slight  acid  reaction,  and  the  odor  and  taste 
of  fresh  wort.  On  being  subjected  to  distillation,  the  distillate 
obtained  was  neutral,  possessed  the  character  and  smell  of  fresh 
wort,  and,  by  treatment  with  bichromate  of  potash  and  sulphuric 
acid,  proved  the  entire  absence  of  alcohol.  During  the  whole 
time  this  experiment  was  proceeding,  the  temperature  was  never 
below  65°,  sometimes  75p,  averaging  over  70°. 
At  the  completion  of  this  experiment,  a  small  clean  bottle  was 
filled  with  the  still  sweet  wort  from  the  flask  a,  and  tightly 
corked.  The  next  day  it  was  found  covered  with  froth  and  in 
brisk  fermentation.  The  remaining  contents  of  the  flask  were 
left  therein,  and  closed  with  the  cork  through  which  the  two 
glass  tubes  passed,  thus  affording  an  uninterrupted  communication 
with  the  atmosphere  through  the  tubes.    At  the  end  of  the  week 
