110 JOURNAL OF THE 



relation between the oxygen and hydrogen varies from 7.89 to 

 7.98. Or again, the atomic weight of iron, determined from 

 the nitrate, he finds to be 54., whilst that from the oxalate is 56. 

 He found also that carbon dioxide prepared by burning pure 

 carbon at a high temperature contained more oxygen than that 

 prepared, by means of carbon monoxide, from organic bodies. 



The generality of chemists will be more apt, I think, to suppose 

 the analytical work of these investigators faulty than to accept 

 their conclusions as to the inconstancy of the atomic weights. 

 Yet the matter is of the utmost importance and should be de- 

 cided with as great freedom from preconceived notions as possi- 

 ble. It is a question exceedingly difficult to decide and will require 

 great nicety and accuracy of work. Many of the most trusted 

 leaders of work and thought in the science will have to concur 

 in testimony derived from their own experiments before any 

 attempt at altering the science to suit the new facts will be made. 



We must not say, because we are mentally satisfied with the 

 present theories and dread the trouble which so radical a change 

 would cause, that the supposition is impossible and need not be 

 considered. 



Butlerow offers three possible explanations of his own and 

 Schutzeuberger's observations : 



1. The absolute amount of matter has been increased in that 

 the so-called force or energy has been changed into matter. 



2. The absolute amount of matter is unchanged, but its weight 

 is increased by means of a temporary increase in the intensity 

 with which the earth attracts matter. 



3. The weight of matter is not increased in either way, but 

 the chemical value is changed. The atomic weight of carbon, 

 for instance, may be temporarily changed from 12 to 11.8 and 

 thus the saturation capacity of carbon raised by about -£§. The 

 amount of carbonic acid made from the same amount of carbon 

 would thus be increased and would be richer in oxygen. 



The first two suppositions would be subversive of Natural 

 Philosophy generally. The last would simply be subversive of 

 Chemistry as now systematized. As Sebelien says, we must give 



