The facts alleged during the last few years by M. Bail, who persists in his views, in spite of their apparently greater exactness, are also far from being satisfactory.[58]
M. Trécul, who is almost the only one in France, besides Messrs. Ch. Robin and Fremy, to participate in these errors, does not confine himself to affirming the change of the spores of _penicillium_ into yeast, and _vice versâ_; his system is a far more extensive one. “According to my observations,” he says, “there would be the following series of changes; albuminous matter changed into _bacteria_, or directly into alcoholic ferment, or into _mycoderma_; _bacteria_ into lactic ferment, there becoming immoveable; lactic ferment into alcoholic ferment; alcoholic ferment into _mycoderma cerevisiæ_; finally, _mycoderma cerevisiæ_ into _penicillium_.[59]”
M. Trécul does not stop here. He goes on to explain the principal of these changes, as though his testimony were quite beyond refutation:
“If we use a perfectly filtered wort, containing no granulations, and prepared at a temperature between 60° C. and 70° C. (140° F. and 160° F.), there will first of all appear a multitude of fine granules that will develop into active bacteria, which, losing the faculty of motion, will constitute lactic ferment, as I have repeatedly pointed out. A few days after the appearance of the first granules, we shall perceive others rather larger in size and isolated. These will increase in size, and, in the course of time, assume the form of little globuloid, or elliptic cells; they will not commence to bud before they have attained a comparatively large size, approaching that of ordinary yeast, consequently, there will be a considerable interval of time, during which the young cells will present no buds, especially if we work at a low temperature, as from 20° C. to 35° C. (68° F. to 95° F.)
“As for the transformation of the spores of _penicillium_ into alcoholic ferment, the possibility of which M. Pasteur also denies, I have very often obtained it by using liquids, such as boiled wort and sugared barley water, which had stood for a month or six weeks without setting up an alcoholic fermentation. These liquids, sown with spores of different forms of _penicillium_, chosen when young and in full growth, fermented after a varying number of days, even at a temperature of 12° C. (54° F.), the condition of fermentation being that the flasks were closed with very elastic corks, which had been boiled for a quarter or half an hour; these corks, as I have already pointed out, it is best to keep for a month after the boiling, to make sure, by drying them thoroughly again, of destroying any _mycelia_ adhering to them. It is necessary to keep the flasks stoppered that the corks may be always moist, and it is also advisable to shake the flasks once or twice a day, to secure the submersion of the spores. If these conditions are carried out, we shall soon see the spores increase in size, gradually lose their green colour and then bud, and often a very active fermentation will manifest itself. All the spores will be transformed, if the flasks are perfectly air-tight.”[60]