locate the nitric acid tub directly under the grain
tub, so that one may discharge into the other. In the upper vat is
placed the farinaceous material, preferably ground, thoroughly steeped
in three times its weight of water, and, where whole grain is used,
preferably "cooked" in the ordinary manner. The vat into which the
dilute acid is placed is an ordinary cooking tub of suitable material to
resist the acid, provided with closed steam coils and also nozzles for
the discharge of steam into the contained mass. Into this vat is placed
for each one hundred parts of the grain to be treated one part of
commercial nitric acid diluted with fifty parts of water and brought to
a state of ebullition and agitation by the steam coils and the discharge
through the nozzles, the latter being regulated so that the gain by
condensation of steam approximately equals the loss by evaporation. The
farinaceous contents of the upper vat are allowed to flow slowly into
the nitric acid solution while the ebullition and agitation of the mass
is continued. This condition is then maintained for six to eight hours,
after which the mass is allowed to stand for one day or until the
saccharification becomes complete. The conversion can be followed by the
"iodine test" for intermediary dextrins and the "alcohol test" for
dextrin. After the saccharification is complete I may partially or
wholly neutralize the nitric acid, preferably with potassium or Ammonium
carbonate, preferably employing only one-half the amount necessary to
neutralize the original quantity of nitric acid used, so that the mass
now ready to undergo fermentation has an acid reaction. The purpose in
view here is to keep the peptones in solution also, because an acid
medium is best adapted to the propagation of the yeast cells. It is not
absolutely necessary to even partially neutralize the nitric acid, but
it is preferable. Yeast is now added, and the remaining processes are
similar to those generally employed in distilleries, excepting that just
prior to distillation potassium carbonate sufficient to neutralize the
remaining nitric acid is added, in order to avoid corrosion of the still
and correct the acid reaction of the slop.

As a variant of the process I sometimes add to the usual amount of
nitric acid an additional one one-hundredth part of phosphoric acid on
account of its beneficial nutritive powers--that is to say, to one
hundred parts of grain one part of nitric acid and o