Catalytic Phcenomena with AUotropy. 443 



atmospheric air or oxygeu, decompose tincture of indigo at least 

 as rapidly as phosphorus, as 1 have shown on a former occasion. 

 We may assume therefore that these compounds exercise an 

 allotropizing influence on common oxygen, the magnitude of 

 which may be equal to the degree of their oxidizability. 



The decay of organic substances in atmospheric air is certainly 

 one of the most important and extensive oxidizing processes, and 

 in my opinion this is effected not by common oxygen, but by 

 O ; that is, just in the same way as the so-called slow combustion 

 of phosphorus, the change of oil of turpentine into resin, &c., of 

 spirit of ^\^^ne into acetic acid and water, &c. This view leads to 

 the further assumption, that atmospheric O is transformed into 

 O by the organic substances themselves, aided by the agencies of 

 heat and light acting in the same direction. And inasmuch 

 as we consider catalytic and allotropizing actions as the same 

 thing, so may we view decay as the greatest catalytic process 

 which is to be found in the oeconomy of nature. 



My earlier experiments have shown, in reference to decayed 

 wood [Scheinholz), that when left in contact with atmospheric 

 air it slowly decomposes dilute tincture of indigo. The parings 

 of raw potatoes and many other vegetable structures do the 

 same, and also turn tincture of guaiacum blue. I will here 

 again call to remembrance the fact, that a substance is contained 

 in a great number of mushrooms, which absorbs atmospheric 

 oxygen and changes it into the O condition ; and further investi- 

 gations will show that there are many other vegetable and animal 

 substances of this kind still unknown. I have not long since 

 shown, that this fungus substance readily gives up its oxygen 

 to other oxidizable, and especially organic substances, for ex- 

 ample to albumen, and produces oxidizing actions which would 

 not take place without its intervention. 



Such facts appear to me to help us towards a better compre- 

 hension of the decay of organic substances, and to throw some 

 light upon the well-known observation, that mixtures of organic 

 substances, such as we always meet with in vegetable and animal 

 structures, decay more easily or more rapidly than the substances 

 contained in these mixtures when exposed in an isolated con- 

 dition to the action of atmospheric oxygen. 



Numerous examples have shown us what a great influence 

 the presence of certain bodies exercises upon the comportment 

 of other substances towards oxygen. Free hydrogen, for ex- 

 ample, remains quite indifferent towards oxygen at ordinary 

 temperatures ; but its decay, that is, its oxidation, commences as 

 Boon as we introduce platinum into the gaseous mixture. We 

 have also seen that a great number of inorganic and organic 

 substances which are indifferent to oxygen are oxidized in the 

 2H2 



