Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1872-03-20

Is produced, aud second the acetic, from
which vinegar results. Sugar in itself is
a true chemical compound Of three ele-
wcnts, carbon, hydrogen aud oxygen.
Hydrogen and oxygen 10 combination
form water. and it is a curious circum-
stance that the hydrogen and oxygen. as
they exist in sugar, are in such proper
tiOns that if they we're united they would
form water hence ii might RPpea. that
il we could remove the charcoal or the
carbon element, simple water would re-
main from a union Of the other two. This
would lead us to regard sugar as a com
pound of charcoal and water, and indeed,
having regard strictly to its chemical con-
stitution this is true, but it really contains
no water ready formed, as it is made mp
Of the three elements in direct combina-
ton Now, let us examine this group Of
atoms and notice whatan extended series
of curious products result, when we set
them in motion by introducing disturbing
agencies. This series of changes by no
possibility can result in the production Of
higher type of organization, but the new
bodies will form kind ofdescendings scale,
gradually decreasing in cOmplcxity Of
composition.
Into liquid containing sugar, We will
introduce some curious germinal matter,
called ferment, the nature and action Of
which will soon be described. Upon ex.
posing the solution in a room kept at a
temperature of60o or 709 T., we shall
observe after few hours that it has be.
come somewhat turbid, and that minute
bubbles of gas rise from all parts of the
liquid, ascend to the surface, aud escape
into the room. This gas is carbouic acid,
the same that results from combustion,
and which passes up and out of every
chimney connected with coal or wood
fires. The evolution Of gas is copious, and
goes on rapidly increasing for a certain
length of time, depending very much up
on the warmth of the surrounding air
After while the action slackens, the
liquid once more becomes clear, and il
we row draw out from the vessel por'
ton it will be found upon examination tC
have lost in great measure its sweet
taste, and to have acquired another quite
distinct. 1t has become an intoxicating
liquid. and by distillation we obtain q
colorless, inAammable spirit, easily rec
ognized as alcohol. This alcohol is true
terDary substance like sugar itself, but
simpler in constitution. In the expert
ment, we have broken up the unstable
highly organized substance, sugar, by the
disturbing agency Of ferment, and from
the disarranged atoms have formed anoth
er body, totally dissimiar in physica
character and influence upon the anima
economy. This change is spontaneous
and must inevitably occur in all liquids
containing sugar, if they also contain {
nilrogenous body capable of putrefying OF
passing into decay, and if they are allow
ed to remain in warm atmosphere. Ci
der, the expressed juice of apples, is ;
liquid which contains much sugar, no mat
ter how sour the apples may be from which
1t is made. 1t also contains albuminou
or nitrogenized substances, so if the liquie
is allowed to remain in warm room, tn,
particles of sugar become disturbed. ;
kind of family quarrel is engendered b.
the mischievous ferment, the whole house
hold Of sugar atoms is broken up, ane
they are forced to aid in building up
new substance, which is the cause OF NOR,
misery than all the physical maladies tina
affiict mankind. .t
1t will be understood that although
vinegar is produced from cider, it canno
be formed from it direct; lhatis, it is i'm
possible to change cider directly into vine
gar. The sugar must first be changed in
to alcohol, and then the alcohol is changet
into vinegar. 1t will also be understoo'
from this statement, that when vinegar i
made from rum or whisky, the sugar iron
which the alcoholic liquids come has pass
ed one stage in It's descent toward th
acid condition, and hence it can be pro
duced from these liquids direct. Befor
proceeding TO notice the interesting
changes involved in the acetous (ermenta
ton, let us consider the nature of tn
agent through which the vlnous is set Up
! This ferment is kind ofvegetation whicl
springs up in liquids containing nitrogen
lied bodies, and also it exists or is spon
taneously developed in the organs 0
plants. If we take a little Of the common
4 household yeast. and diffuse it in fey
drops Of grape juice or new cider, an
then place drop of this between two thi
plates Of glass. with little mastic varnis