21

Triticum

use in estimating the operation of medicines—In the
farinacea we include wheat Rye, Barley, Corn &c
They all contain much nutriment but they differ
much in the quantity.

Triticum wheat. The natural history of this you are
all acquainted with & you also know that it
constitutes a large portion on the food of the inhabitants
of Europe & america—I shall say nothing
of the process of grinding, but shall make some
observations upon bread. The seeds of wheat are
composed of mucilage, starch & gluten. The latter
is insoluble in water ardent spirit spirit, oil,
or ether. Bread is composed of folour, water, & yeast
mixed up together; while fermentation is
going on it is baked, this immediately stops
fermentation. We raise the temp & evaporate the
moisture requisite for carrying on the process of
fermentation— D^r K has proved in a very ingenious
thesis 1790 that this is correct, and done himself