New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-08-22

Ter. asking the opinion Of Distinguished scientific
men IN our own and other countries. This circa.
lar had been published, ard would be Submitted
20 the Association before the close ofthe session
No further definite action than this has been taken
In this matter
DrB. A GOULD OF Cambridge responded TO the
call for the Report Of the Committee on the "Pao
LEGATION Of an Astronomical Journal" stating that
be was tt that moment unable to present the he
port which bad been prepared.
Prof AGAssIZ alluded 70 the suo Jet OF memonG'
ling the Legislature Of Pennsylvania In relation TO
the publication Of the results OF the Geological S1r
vey in that State; and hoped the Committee sP'
pointed for 81 .t purpose might be completed
Prof sILrsAS, Sen. strongly supported tbs
proposition and trusted that We should not be long
deprived Of the light Of the learned Investigations
Of Prof RoGERs.-No immediate action was taken
on Prof. AGAssIz's motion.
Atsfeg minutes before 10 o clock TIE general
Session was dissolved and the vsrioas Sections
resumed their sitsngs in the different apartment"
ofthe College
The Section OF Chemistry and Mneralogy had a
remarkably interesting meeting In The morning
Pspeis were read BY Mr.. ERSl Of I Aie Conese
Laboratory, on the Phenomena OF Fermentation
by Mr. HISRY WURTZ Of New.York. on the
Troostite Of New Jersey by GEORGE J. Brush OF
the Yale Laboratory, on American spodu meme
by Prof HORsFoHD OF Cambridge on the Adulsera
tion Of Vermillion; and others.
The first psper was lengthy one by Henry
ERsI Of the Yale Analytical laboratory on the
causes Of Fermentation. in which were many IN
terestipg ststements / annex an abstract OF its
leading points
ACCOUNT or SOME EXPERIMENTS ON THE
CAUSE or FERMENTATION.
Tie experiments and obs ervauoEs On Fermenta'
ton here communicated By Mr.. Erni were made
Ia the course Of the year ls47, in the Chemical
Laboratory Of Zurich. Their publication has been
deferred because Mr.. +. left Switzerland before
they were extended and perfected so much 40 be
had desired 1t 10 well known among chemists
that, Notwithstanding the vOlaminous writings on
Fermentation, we yet know very ll;se OF It's orlgi'
nal cause, and no one Of the theories advanced
competent 10 the full EXP OF the facts known
At present 1t 10 doubtless true that 10 this pro-
cess by the action Ct the so called fermen organic
bodies Of complex composition such az sugar, ETC.
are decomposed into simpler substances.
The cause Of these phenomena il considered by
Liebig TO be the power OF the iernent as body In
state Of decomposition, l. Z. IN chemical action, to
induce a similar transformation Of compounds that
came in contac. with il. Other chemists assume
that fermentation is caused by tue development Of
fungi and that different kinds Of fermentation are
due to dlhere1t fungi
The results which Mr. Ern has obtained, q part
Of which have been fully co-robOrased by more re-
cent examinations, have enabled him TO throw con
siderable light on some disputed points. great
variety Of experiments were published by Bren.
deeke, according 10 which, porous substances, AZ
straw feathers alum, pulverized charcoal, potato
starch, flowers Of sulphur, scraps OF paper, and
even small fragments Of some metals, as tin, for IN
stance induce fermentation in 4 solution OF grape
sugar to which some tntrste OF ammonia had been
added. After this ii seemed probable that yeas,
consisting undoubtedly of vegetable cells, might
like the substances mentioned produce 'eE.nents
ton in solutions OF cane or grape.sugar not by
means Of the vita force but simply by is loose
ness and porosty In repeating some Of Bren,
deckes experiments, Mr.. Erni had used grape
Sugar prepared from honey by means OF alcohol and
pprHed hv bill White refined sugar re-chrystaiHed
from solution in her water. In the exPermens
ole part Of sugar and eight OF water were CID
ployed. .., .,,,.
mon straw vn treated sith potash ye, to Dissolve
Apy gluten il night contain. Aiset tTen'y-iout
Io1rs the straw was washed with water, the LAST
traces of potash removed by hydroc1lorlc acld ana
finally the straw perfectly cleaned WIN "a'e,'
The solution Of cane and grape sugar mixed VITO
such straw underwent no change during iour
weeks.
ID EJpeyimelf Addition OF tartrGte OF ammo
nis 10 such solutions as above produced no per.
ceptble effect.
I'D Hummelshine, cleaned as mentioned,
together with ere IN OF tartar, Induced no iermenta
tion In either cane or grape sugar.
Ah ExpeyimeEt-P averized quartz added to So
lutions Of cane and grape sugar, caused no iernen
taton In the course Of some weeks mucor OF
mold was formed which frIcthed and yielded
,ports Such was the case not only IN this, bat alio
u some Of the previous experiments
5fh Ezpei imeht-A solution OF cane sugar was
mixed with unclaimed natural straw Ia order 70
see il il excited fermentation, and If 30, to ascer
tain If il may not be owing 10 the Development oil
fungi After twelve days, fermentation com
nenced and a. the same time microscoPicA examl'
ostion Of the liquor showed the presence OF yese'
table cells identical with upper yeast
I'll ETDerlmsHt-The same experiment perform
ed with grApe-sugM yielded the same results, ou'
fermentation commenced some days earlier
Experiment 10 II These experiments were
made upon Yeast. Rousseau made known tne
supposed fact that fermentation may be induced
by east even 10 the presence OF vegetable or
Mineral poisons, If rendered acid when mixed win
the sugar solution. The trial OF Mr.. Erni did not
confirm these statements. lie found
LIST, That upper yeast in e-sugar solution acid
! fled with tartaric acid, and poisoned with asen
ous acid, produced no fermentation The same
mixture without the addition OF oxide Of arsenic,
/ fermented tfser two days. The liquor was strong
Is a i'd by taste, became sweet again, and fermsn'
tation commenced.
! %. The same tIiAl Vas made 10 liquor aclda'
( lated with scetc acid, and no fermentation took
place The same mix ;ure without the oxide OF ~
senic produced fermentation.
3d. The above txo experiments were repeated
uaipg oil Of ,urpen,ine Is poison, instead oil arse
Nous acid, and tho same negative results obtained
4h. Yeast added TO cane or sugar solution, Aeidi
fed with tartGric or acetic acid, and poisoned Wit
sfew drops OF kreo,Ote, excited no fermei!aeo'
whatever
5h. Mixtures oicsne and grape sugar with yeast
scidihe6 vita cream Of tartar, and poisoned WIZ
Considerable quantities Of aueuious acid, yielde'
fermentation Perhaps ia this case tbs arsenioa
acid formed q chemical compound with the cream
Of tartar, as such sKt was proved to exist D.
Mtscherlich.
S,b, The same experiment repea.ed Win tn
difference that in the place o. srseinous acid. krec
sOte and oil Of tOrpehtne were employed, sho"
10 ferms ntAtOn.
When the poisoned liquors were examined VI
Der the microscope il could be EASILY seen whe
TIE toison had taken effect, the nnogenous laye
On The cell membrane seemed to rave undergone
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