The national Republican., 1862-04-02
M','i"s y ssfs \ sso,.n.,ss A..oei..io..

There was " Si,katlsUtisd mSsliok siyusJ
Washington Scientific Association, last sven-
ing, sttlr9 lrdl ofshe ueoI1atown Medical Col-
lei unrpAr rof r and Twelfth streets, at WHICH
Dc. = Lotm,s. President rf the Association.
lion Of Forces In fsrhebtsitt,n t,n!n' We heard but
a portion Of the assay, which was written tn n
clear, perspicuonss style, hspp4iy. blending ths
teohnicalities Of chemical science With the
prsctcAiitits Of every day life, reducing All ~
Tho understanding Of An ordinarily attentive
senss. RI ssa oil,
The nr,t prominsn, point no,iosd wa, Inc as.
sumed fact that IL has hitherto generally been
thought SUFFICIENT to account for the ponderable
constituents NJ = body. without any rssArd to
It's inponderable elements. He 'intr0ducsd
Illustrations showinI: the equal potency, OF
chemical and material forces. For instance,
removes the carbon and forms sulphate of
lime. Heat, an imponderable force, sets the
carbon free just as edsctually. When ohemi-
cal force becomes an eioment, the chemical
constitution Of the body Is changed. 30 with
Ice; heat enters Ice ~ chemical constituent;
eliminate \ first increment, heat up to 81 dey. >,
and ioe becomes water; eliminate % Uond in.
crement, up to 2l2 deg, and water becomes
steam-yet Ice. water and steam are not chemi.
cnlly the same. III. .#..,.,. ... ..
ne dwslt mainly on the chemical process of
fermentation, and !ts effects upon living organ
ism, showing how, In animal lie, II chan ged the
chemical into vital forces, as when, by the fer.
meDtation of digestion, food ia made sy ynUny m
juice Of grapes will remain without feImsnta-
tion If kept from tho air, when y single bubble
Of air will Torment H. Sugar, by the Introduction
ofyeast is broken into csrbonic acid four parts,
and alcohol two parts. Yeast, In It's character
as vegetable, was described, and It's soentiRo
history noted. In the case above, he said fer
mentntion consisted In the breaking up OF the
sugar and the growth of tho yeast plant the
constituent elements Of the sugar being four
carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and che miosl force
He explained that sugar Is first broken into
carbonio acid and alcohol, but by increased
heat, ut 100 deg. Hnoiher Fermentation ensues,
and !, breaks again into Tactic acid and chemi.
cal fnrCe. .....-.. ....... ...
He then Illustrated the building up or grow III
Of the yeast, showing Its wonderful structure,
its yeast cells being but onaseven .thousandth
of an inch IN diamater. Very naturally, he
glded from yeast to bread, and an explanstion
Ut the chemistry "i It's manufacture. There
WAS fermented bread, leavened bread, unleav'
sned broad, aerated bread, which laSt was
kind OF unleavened bread. Flour ia composed
of starch, gluten, gum, bran. and water. The
starch Is broken into sugar By the yeast or
ierment, the sugar into CarbOnc Ncid and alcO
h0l, and. If continued, into Tactic acid.
Buck wheat cakes, raised with dough far
mentad for twenty four hours, we're frequently
10 this second stsge OF fermentation, and tbsrs.
fore unwholesome. The yeast should be fresh
every morning. The lnss by this fermentation.
or decay, Ia considerAble; In France, 3j lbs. per
barrel. Alum is much used there 10 make up
Tor this loss by sdultsration, by its power I"
absorb water and thus increase the weight
destroy ing the phosphates, and developing 4
tendency TO scrofula.
Leaven Ia sour d'ugh. in addition to
yeast, and fenCe much worse than yeast,
the decay having proceeded further. The
baking suspends tho decay. hut does not en-
tirely restore the decayed elements. or un.
leavened bread, there In the hard bread of the
soIdiovs, and aer.Iiet bread, the best and puresi
made. This last is simply -four, water, and
salt, kneaded uuder pressure with carbonic
ari /. Tha portion of water in wheat he gave
a. from IL to IA per cent. in this country, the
mpre southern wheat having the lass water. At
the close Of the essay an oral discussion Of The
principles involved gave increased interest tu
the meeting. r-....