The liquid, which was turbid on the day after its impregnation,
had, in spite of the liberation of gas, again become so
transparent that we could read our handwriting through the body
of the flask. Notwithstanding this, there was still a very active
operation going on in the deposit, but it was confined to that
spot. Indeed, the swarming vibrios were bound to remain there,
the tartrate of lime being still more insoluble in water
saturated with carbonate of lime than it is in pure water. A
supply of carbonaceous food, at all events, was absolutely
wanting in the bulk of the liquid. Every day we continued to
collect and analyze the total amount of gas disengaged. To the
very last it was composed of pure carbonic acid gas. Only during
the first few days did the absorption by the concentrated potash
leave a very minute residue. By April 26th all liberation of gas
had ceased, the last bubbles having risen in the course of April
23rd. The flask had been all the time in the oven, at a
temperature between 25 degrees C. and 28 degrees C. (77 degrees
F. and 83 degrees F.). The total volume of gas collected was
2.135 litres (130.2 cubic inches). To obtain the whole volume of
gas formed we had to add to this what was held in the liquid in
the state of acid carbonate of lime. To determine this we poured
a portion of the liquid from the flask into another flask of
similar shape, but smaller, up to the gaugemark on the neck.
[Footnote: We had to avoid filling the small flask completely,
for fear of causing some of the liquid to pass on to the surface
of the mercury in the measuring tube. The liquid condensed by
boiling forms pure water, the solvent affinity of which for
carbonic acid, at the temperature we employ, is well known. This
smaller flask had been previously filled with carbonic acid. The
carbonic acid of the fermented liquid was then expelled by means
of heat, and collected over mercury. In this way we found a
volume of 8.322 litres (508 cubic inches) of gas in solution,
which, added to the 2.135 litres, gave a total of 10.457 litres
(638.2 cubic inches) at 20 degrees and 760 mm., which, calculated
to 0 degrees, C. and 760 mm. atmospheric pressure (32 degrees F.
and 30 inches) gave a weight of 19.700 grammes (302.2 grains) of
carbonic acid.
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