The enigma of ferment : from the philosopher's stone to the first biochemical Nobel prize / Ulf Lagerkvist.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Lagerkvist, Ulf.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Fermentation--History.

Fermentation.

Yeast.

Enzymes.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (170 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Hackensack, NJ : World Scientific, c2005.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

This popular account of the history of ferment takes the reader on a fascinating journey from its obscure origins in medieval medicine and alchemy to the modern concept of the enzyme. During the 19th century, the question of the nature of the ferment led to a long and bitter conflict between those that believed in a vital force peculiar to the living cell and those that looked for a more chemical explanation. The book takes an in-depth look at the events of 1897 when Eduard Buchner demonstrated that cell-free extracts of yeast could catalyze alcoholic fermentation, putting an end to "vitalism"

Contents:

Contents; Preface; Introduction; Alchemy and the Dawn of Chemistry; Medicine and Chemistry in the Scienti.c Revolution; A Golden Age of Chemistry; Ferment or Vital Force; A Fortuitous Observation; The Nobel Prize; Bibliography; Index

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 157-158) and index.

ISBN:

1-281-88114-7

9786611881146

981-270-092-7

OCLC:

476063455