A Dissertation on the Influence of Heat and Humidity - Tapa blanda

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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1829 Excerpt: ... same heat as that of the animal temperature,--oxygen is absorbed, and carbonic acid given out,--heat is evolved, to which process moisture is essential. Putrefaction resolves the solid and fluid matters into gaseous compounds, and vapours which escape, and an earthy residuum remains. It is said the atmospheric air aids putrefaction; and hence so many inventions for its exclusion from meat: but I think, if air were entirely deprived of moisture, no putrefaction would take place; and hence we dry meat, and fill it full of salts, sugar, spices, or substances that abstract the water. If we freeze the substance, it will not putrify in the air; because the water is then rendered solid, and unfit to produce the changes which putrefaction requires. The mummy is rendered dry, and impervious to moisture, and then is preserved for ages. Spontaneous combustion cannot take place without humidity. The vegetable principles of hay join and solidify moisture. The caloric of fluidity becomes free; and, being confined, sets the heap on fire. Dry air increases in volume f for 180 degrees; and its progressive expansion is thought to be uniform by uniform increments of heat. The ultimate constituents of vegetable matter are oxygen, hydrogen, and carbon; and in animal matter, azote. All the products of fermentation must be new compounds of these three or four ultimate constituents. Sugar is a vegetable oxide, and consists of, Hydrogen, 6-90 ) olygl 50-63 3 Water, Carbon. 42-47 42-47 100' 100 Yeast disturbs the affinities of the elements of the sugar It has a strong affinity for oxygen, which it takes from it; and the equilibrium being broken be tween the principles of the sugar, these so react on each other, as to he converted into alcohol and carbonic acid. Fibrine consists of,...