of the Origin of Aerolites. $1^ 



the origin of these stones, and the cause of their fall, are not yet 

 known ; hitherto conjectures only have been formed on the sub- 

 ject. Some distinguished men of science have demonstrated 

 that it might be possible that they came to us from the moon, 

 or some other celestial body. But as we are far from having 

 exhausted all the orders of possibilities, and all of them equally 

 admissible, it will only be when we shall have accumulated hy- 

 potheses that we mav, in the absence of irrefragable demon- 

 stration, found an opinion upon the order of possibility which 

 shall be the least repugnant to our ideas and to our knowledge. 

 It is with this view that I shall collect under one point of view, 

 the observations upon which we may found another probability, 

 however unreasonable it may be considered by some, as to the 

 formation of aerolites in our atmosphere. 



The nature of the atmospheric air is well known : it can dis- 

 ■Bolve more or less water ; and the more it dissolves, the lighter 

 it becomes specifically; which establishes a continual circidation 

 in the atmosphere. It also serves as a vehicle for many sub- 

 stances. 



It is thus that smells, the nature of wliicli is still a problem, 

 are disseminated through the air. Are they merely mixed witli 

 the air ? or, are they dissolved by air, by water, by the essential 

 oils, or, finrtlly, by other fluids ? Of all this we are ignorant; but 

 it is clear that on no occasion is the transparency of the air dis- 

 turbed. 



The same questions and observations apply to the oil and 

 essence of turpentine, the efiects of which are so pronounced, 

 that by simple respiration they give the urine a very charac- 

 teristic smell, and terminate even by producing asphyxia. 



Every person knows that by sleeping in newly painted rooms 

 colics are experienced, from the action of the lead on the in- 

 terior of our system. Is this lead in the state of metal, oxide 

 or salt ? Is it dissolved in the air, or is it merely mixed with it? 

 In the first supposition, is it dissolved, either by the immediate 

 principles of the air, by the water which it holds in solution, or 

 by other fluids, and particularly essential oil ? On this point 

 there is no kind of data, but it is always certain that this lead 

 is carried through the air even to great distances. 



Mercury, a metal still heavier, presents a similar phsenomenon. 

 When a person remains some time in a sick room, salivation 

 comes on, and any gold which he may have upon his person i$ 

 whitened, even without his having any contact with the patient. 



If we place on a table a glass half full of a solution of muriate 

 of soda, we find in a short time, not only the exterior of the 

 glass, but also a great part of the surface of the tabic, covered 



O 3 with 



