Note 67 — Chapter IV · The Growth of Different Organisms in a State of Purity: Their Autonomy.[49]

We may prove the occurrence of alcoholic fermentation by the cells of submerged mycoderma vini in a different manner. To do this, after having made all our preparations as before and shaken up the film of mycoderma vini in its liquid, we must attach our flask to a test flask (Fig. 19), and pass the turbid liquid into the latter. On succeeding days we shall detect a very protracted fermentation in the test flask; there will be a succession of minute bubbles rising from the bottom, but in small number at a time. The fermentation is very evident whilst it lasts, but is rather sluggish, and, although of very long duration, ceases long before the sugar is exhausted.

This experiment proves better than any other the non-transformation of mycoderma vini into other ordinary fungoid growths. For after decanting the liquid into the test flasks, the sides of the experimental flask remain covered with streaks of mycoderma vini along with some of the liquid. Moreover, the flask is refilled with air, and this air is being constantly renewed, in part, by variations of the temperature of the oven, so that the mycoderma remaining on the sides is thus placed under the most favourable conditions for transformation into other fungoid growths, if that were possible. It is still more easy to detach the experimental from the test flask, and to pass pure air into it, once or twice a day, or constantly. In any case, we shall never see anything besides the mycoderma vini spring up within it.