Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume VII.djvu/155

 FERMENTATION titles, has a remarkable effect in arresting fer- mentation, especially the acetic, and sulphite of calcium is extensively used by manufactu- rers of cider and wine, and judiciously em- ployed does not injure the beverage. Sulphur- ous acid is coming into use in distilleries in the process of mashing, with a view to prolong it so that an increased amount of dextrine and fecula may be converted into glucose before fer- mentation commences. The mineral acids gen- erally, chlorine, chloroform, camphor, carbolic and formic acids, and creosote, as well as most mineral salts, also turpentine and essential oils, have in varying degrees the property of arrest- ing or preventing fermentation. The employ- ment of common salt to prevent putrefactive fermentation is a familiar example of antisep- tic action. According to Dumas, alcoholic fer- mentation is not affected by earthy carbonates and neutral salts of potash and lime, and it is accelerated by a solution of bitartrate of potash, the yeast cells becoming more perfect, and filled with plastic matter containing numerous germs and mobile corpuscles. From all the researches which have been made into the subject of fermentation, whether the ferment be considered merely as an organic body in a state of change, or as a living organism, the explanation of the process is assisted by a con- sideration of the vibratory theory of molecular physics. When two or more bodies are brought into intimate contact with each other, as where a ferment is suspended or stirred in a ferment- able liquid, so that the molecules are intermin- gled, a tendency to produce a change of vibra- tory motion in them must follow as a necessary consequence ; and this tendency is much modi- fied by the addition or abstraction of heat. The difficulty of ascertaining experimentally whether any of the minute germs, which re- quire the highest powers of the microscope yet attained to enable them to be seen, may be present in a liquid, places the question as to the ultimate cause of fermentation in doubt, and it seems that the nearest approach to a so- lution of it must thus far depend upon logical inferences. Bucholz found that no fungi could be detected in milk mixed with a small quan- tity of carbolic acid, but that nevertheless it slowly turned sour. He therefore inferred that lactic fermentation is not due to the ac- tion of living organisms, but to a chemical fer- ment contained or formed in the milk. But although he found no fungi, minute organic germs may have been present, undiscoverable by the microscopic power which he employed. Bechamp, before making the experiments with chalk described above, had also found that creosote in certain quantities prevented the development of spores of fungi and germs of infusoria, without interfering with the action of ferments. The influence which may be ex- erted by undeveloped germs under similar cir- cumstances is a matter difficult to determine. There is a suggestion contained in the results of experiments which have been made by Pas- FERMOY 147 teur and others with boiled fermented liquors. It is asserted that they may be preserved for an indefinite time if filtered air or pure oxygen only is admitted into the vessel. Now, Payen found that certain organic spores did not lose the power of germination till heated to 284 F. ; and others maintain that organic germs will re- tain their vitality at much higher temperatures than this. It is certain that the decomposition of the proteine body is arrested by boiling, so that its influence is destroyed ; but it is quite probable that germs which have hitherto es- caped detection by means of the microscope may yet remain alive. If, therefore, it be a fact that boiling will for an indefinite time preserve a fermentable liquor when natural air is excluded, this would seem to indicate that something more than the presence of organic germs is necessary to induce fermentation, such as proteine compounds in a certain state of change, the peculiar action of which, how- ever, may be advantageously manifested in the presence of yeast or some living organism. The facts also that brewers find in their prac- tice that yeast does not exert its powers advan- tageously unless, before being added to the fer- menting tun, it be kept in a warm place till incipient putrefaction takes place, and that washed yeast when added to wort does not produce fermentation until a certain time has elapsed, strengthen the opinion. The fact, however, that, although undecomposed pro- teine compounds may be contained in the boiled liquor, they will not begin to decay in the presence of filtered air or pure oxygen, but require the admission of natural air, would indicate that they also require the presence of some body having a chemical or catalytic force not possessed by pure oxygen, which is re- moved from the atmosphere by filtration. FERMO (anc. Firmum Picenum), a town of Italy, in the province of Ascoli, 32 m. S. E. of Ancona, and 3 m. from the Adriatic; pop. about 20,000. It is the seat of an archbishop, has a cathedral and seven other churches, a lyceum, a communal gymnasium, a public library, and a theatre. It exports corn, silk, and woollens. It was founded by the Sabines before Rome existed, and became in 264 B. 0. a Roman colony. From the 8th century it generally belonged to the papal dominions till 1860, when it became part of the kingdom of Italy. It is the birthplace of Lactantius. FERMOY, a town of Ireland, in the county and 19 m. N. E. of the city of Cork, on both sides of the Blackwater, which is here spanned by a fine stone bridge, built in 1866 ; pop. in 1871, 7,611. At the beginning of the present century there were here only a few cabins, until Mr. John Anderson, the owner of the es- tate, built a hotel, and erected for the govern- ment barracks sufficient for 3,000 men. Fer- moy thus became the central military station of Ireland. Mr. Anderson also laid out streets and built houses which constitute the greater part of the town. It has a Roman Catholic