444 Prof. Schonbein on the Connexion of 



presence of phosphorus. Aud although the experiment has not 

 yet been made, I do not doubt in the least that moist shavings 

 mixed with finely-divided phosphorus would decay more rapidly 

 in atmospheric air, than under similar circumstances without the 

 presence of phosphorus. 



Cork, which is known to exhibit such great unchangeability that 

 even when exposed for a long time to the action of air and water 

 it is not perceptibly altered, seems as if acted upon by chlorine or 

 nitric acid after it has served some time to close a gas-bottle or 

 flask in which is contained phosphorus, or sether, or oil of tur- 

 pentine, &c. in contact with atmospheric air; and this action, as 

 we now know, arises from the oxygen which has been ozonized 

 under the influence of the phosphorus, oil of turpentine, &c. 

 Many other examples might be adduced to show that substances 

 endowed with the property of transforming into 0, either alone 

 or with the help of light and heat, are just those which set 

 up or accelerate the oxidation or decay of those substances in 

 which this property is either altogether wanting, or only present 

 in a small degree. There can be no doubt that, in this respect, 

 a great diflerence is exhibited between various organic substances. 

 We know, for example, that the ozonizing property of the cam- 

 phene oils exceeds that of other sethcrial oils; and it is therefore 

 exceedingly probable, if not certain, that the admixture of oil of 

 turpentine with another setherial oil would accelerate the oxida- 

 tion of the latter. It would then be truly surprising if similar 

 diff'erences did not exist between the organic substances which 

 lie adjacent in any dead plant or animal, if the presence of a 

 substance endowed with a stronger ozonizing property did not 

 also accelerate the oxidation or decay of those substances which 

 possess the property in a less degree. We know how rapidly 

 many fungi decay; we know that the juice contains a sub- 

 stance which easily takes up atmospheric oxygen, and thereby 

 becomes a carrier of 0, or oxidizing agent. The assumption 

 that the presence of such a substance in the fungi essentially 

 favours the decay of the rest of the constituents, appears to me 

 to be by no means too bold a conjecture. 



Similar relations will also be found in other vegetable and 

 animal structures ; and it is also probable that in the course, 

 and in consequence of the decay and putrefaction of organic 

 bodies, new substances are produced which are endowed with a 

 stronger oxidizing property than the substances from which they 

 are formed, and therefore essentially contribute, not only to the 

 acceleration of the decay of the still undccomposed organic sub- 

 stances, but also to their own decay. Decayed wood, as has 

 been mentioned, possesses the property of exciting atmospheric 

 oxygen to the decomposition of indigo dissolved in sulphuric 



