1st Experiment.
A quantity of wort, to which no yeast had been added, was put into a wide mouthed vessel, and suspended in the mouth of a large tub, containing ale in an active state of fermentation. The vessel was allowed to remain three days, and at the end of that time no more appearance of fermentation was detected, than a very slight display of frothy bubbles in the middle, nothing more than we were assured by the brewer, was wont to appear from spontaneous fermentation.
A blind devotion to his opinion might have induced the brewer to attribute to the yeast acting through the medium of the air, what was quite spontaneous, and if he had done so, how like his case would have been to that of some medical men, who unwittingly attribute to atmospheric contagion, what is spontaneous or dependent on other agencies.
From this experiment it appears that yeast is incapable of solution in the air, and of producing through that medium its peculiar effects.
But to make the result still more certain, another experiment was performed.
2d Experiment.
A wide mouthed vessel, containing a quantity of water, was suspended over some liquor, in a state of active fermentation, for the purpose of absorbing any gas or yeast, in a state of vapour proceeding from it. It was kept there two days, and then examined. Its taste was somewhat altered, and it had acquired a slight odour much resembling that of yeast, probably from the absorption of gas. It was thought, that if this water had become impregnated with yeast, that that circumstance would be rendered manifest, by producing fermentation, when added to a quantity of wort; and to determine the question, the following trial was made.
Two jugs half filled with wort, free from yeast, were placed in an apartment whose atmosphere was favourable to fermentation. To one was added the water which had been suspended over the fermenting tub, and to the other an equal quantity of pure water. They were then put aside, and secured from interference. At the end of three days they were examined. The wort to which had been added the water taken from over the fermenting tub, presented on its surface a few frothy bubbles, but not the slightest appearance of yeast.
The wort, to which pure water had been added, presented an appearance identically the same, having a few frothy bubbles on its surface, but not any other, the most trifling sign of fermentation.
Similar experiments were made at a distillery, where the facilities for their success were said to be even greater than at the brewery, and they were marked with precisely similar results.