Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume VII.djvu/154

 146 FERMENTATION cryptococcus, which is identical with the yeast cell. (See fig. 6.) In milk, during lacteous fer- mentation, the micrococcus elongates and forms jointed staff-like cells, as in fig. 7, arthrococcus ; and in acetic fermentation the cells become lan- cet-shaped. According to these views, alcoholic FIG. 6. Cryptococcus in vari- ous grades of development from Penicillium (Hallier). FIG. 7. Arthrococcus, found in sour milk (Hallier). and putrefactive fermentations are both due to the influence of a single agent, transported from place to place in the air, which everywhere contains germinal matter, protoplasm, bioplasm, or whatever it may be called ; the living mole- cules growing wherever they find a suitable soil, and in different soils developing into differ- ent forms, producing by their vital acts different effects. The microscopic investigations of Dr. Beale upon the development of the yeast plant show that the cells vary in size more than is usually represented, and that the development of buds is greater, the layer cells having as many as ten or more buds. (See figs. 1 and 3.) He says : " The different germinal matter within the yeast cell is the material upon which alone all growth and action depends. Were it not for the bioplasm or germinal matter, the cell would be lifeless and passive, incapable of exciting fer- mentation or any change whatever ; and it may under favorable circumstances undergo devel- opment into complete yeast cells, so that by the artificial division of one thousands may re- sult. And if the soft, bioplasmic matter which can be expressed from the yeast cell be placed under favorable conditions, every particle of it may germinate. This matter alone furnishes the germs, it alone grows and appropriates the nutrient material ; in short, it alone manifests the phenomena peculiar to living things. The little buds or gemmules above referred to, de- tached from the parent mass, and capable of independent existence, are, many of them, much less than TjnjVs-o *' an mc ^ m diameter ; but each is living, and will grow under favorable circumstances into a body like the parent cell, giving origin in its turn to countless descen- dants. These very minute particles divide and subdivide independently, producing still more minute particles, capable of growth and divi- sion like themselves;. . . and this mode of multiplication may go on for a long period, perhaps for an indefinite time, if certain con- ditions persist. But if any one of these exces- sively minute particles falls into a medium con- taining suitable pabulum, it will appropriate it and soon pass on to a higher stage of develoj ment. In this case branches may be forme( and from them may proceed stems which gro upward into the air, and bear upon their sum- mits heads in which spores are found, these last being so well protected from the influ- ence of destructive agents that the germinal matter within can retain its vitality for a great length of time. The' spores just re- ferred to are so light as to be easily sup- ported in the atmosphere, and they may be carried a long distance by currents of air." Bechamp has made an investigation into the action of chalk which is used in lactic butyric fermentation. As has been state the chalk is added for the purpose of j venting an accumulation of acid in the lution ; and although this is an important tion, Bechamp has shown that chalk is itself capable of establishing alcoholic, lactic, and butyric fermentations. The chalk formation consists principally of the remains of minute organisms ; but independently of these fossils, he finds that chalk contains living organisms of extreme minuteness, which he has named microzyma cretce, and regards as the most powerful ferments known. A sample of native chalk, taken from the centre of a large block and mixed with water, reveals under the mi- croscope numerous bright points having very lively trepidating movements, which are the organisms in question. The following experi- ment shows their power of inducing fermenta- tion : There were intimately mixed 420 grms. of starch paste, 30 grms. of chalk, and 4 drops of creosote. At the same time a similar mix- ture was made, except that pure carbonate of lime was used in place of chalk. In three days the starch in the mixture containing chalk was liquefied, but no change was produced in the one containing pure carbonate of lime. On Nov. 14, 1864, 100 grms. of starch, 1,500 cc. of water, and 10 drops of creosote were mixed with 100 grms. of chalk. On March 30, 1866, the mixture was analyzed and found to contain 4 cc. of absolute alcohol, 8 grms. of butyric acid, and 5 '2 grms. of crystallized acetate of soda. On April 25, 1865, 80 grms. of cane sugar, 1,400 grms. of chalk were mixed with 1,500 cc. of water containing creosote, and when examined on June 14 following yielded 2'6 cc. of absolute alcohol, 4'5 grms. of buty-i ric acid, 6*8 grms. of acetate of soda, and 9! grms. of lactate of lime. When proper pre-i cautions are taken no other ferment is found in the liquid after fermentation besides those contained in the chalk, and which have be- come considerably augmented. Fermentation is retarded or arrested by the action of vari- ous substances. An accumulation of about 15 per cent, of alcohol in the process arrests it. Lactic fermentation is also arrested when a certain quantity of lactic acid accumu- lates. Sulphurous acid, even in small quan-