This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1862 edition. Excerpt: ...formed, with the intermediate production of small quantities of aldehyd. In both cases "The alcohols may all be regarded as compound oxides of hydrogen, and of a peculiar hydro-carbon.... The alcohols, by imperfect oxidation, furnish aldehyds; and these bodies, by the further absorption of oxygen, yield acids."--Miller's Chemistry, vol. iii. p. 119. the chemical phenomena and the life of the plants were clearly correlative. When the experiments were performed in close vessels containing besides the liquid a known quantity of air, it was ascertained that the vinegar-plant took oxygen from the air, and therewith converted the alcohol into acetic acid; and that the mycoderm of wine took oxygen from the air, and converted the alcohol into water and carbonic acid. It was likewise ascertained that if the alcohol was removed, and the vinegar-plant grown in an acetic liquid, the acid was transformed into water and carbonic acid. With the mycoderm of wine the effect was the same, especially if thero was a little alcohol in the liquid. From these facts M. Pasteur concludes that the wine and vinegar plants behave in the same manner, and that there are circumstances in which their action is exalted, that is to say, that the plant, instead of taking from the air two, or four, molecules of oxygen to combine with one molecule of alcohol, and thus produce aldehyd or acetic acid, takes eight, or twelve, molecules of oxygen, and by their aid completely transforms the alcohol and the acetic acid into water and carbonic acid. The vinegar-plant does not produce acctification when it is submerged. This was ascertained by noting the degree of acidity of a liquid in which a growing plant floated. The plant was made to sink by glass rods, and the...