Key to medical science / by J. Clawson Kelley.

  • Kelley, John Clawson, 1793-1863.
Date:
1842
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Key to medical science / by J. Clawson Kelley. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    other even when found in its native state as in the sugar cane. It is the absorption of oxygen and hydrogen in the shape of water by seeds which cause germination. Seeds cannot ger- minate when deprived of oxygen. Neither can the process of fermentation take place unless there be sufficient mucilage and saccharine matter present. One fermentation succeeds the other in rapid succession unless some means are adopted to arrest it. First,—the vinous ; second, the acetic ; third, the putrefactive. Take, for instance, the juice of the apple, the grape, the sugar cane, or any other article containing saccha- rine matter ; suffer it to remain in a proper temperature, and the air to have access to it, the vinous fermentation directly commences, characterized by a constant motion of the fluid in every direction with considerable disengagement of car- bonic acid gas, air bubbles being diffused over its whole sur- face. When the vinous fermentation is complete, if it be then committed to the still, the product thrown over would be alco- hol. Were it suffered to remain and not subjected to the ac- tion of the still, it would immediately enter upon a second fer- mentation, which would be the acetic, in which acetic acid (vinegar) would be formed at the expense of the alcohol.— The acetic fermentation would be followed by a third called the putrefactive, which would be a decomposition of the whole, rendering it like muddy water, as is frequently observ- ed by individuals when vinegar stands exposed to the air for some time that vinegar is dead. Thus do we perceive that vegetable matter derives its pow- er of existence—its elementary principles from the atmosphere which surrounds us, and is constantly undergoing the various changes above alluded to : among which, is to be regarded in a most important light its formation and support of animal mat- ter : it becomes a vegetable mold capable of furnishing that support and sustenance to future vegetable productions as far as may be required in the economy of nature.