84 Abstraction of Nitrogen from the Atmosphere. 
Art. X.—Proofs, drawn from Geology, of the abstraction 
of Nitrogen from the atmosphere, by organization ; 
Prof. LARDNER VANUXEM, of South-Carolina College. 
We know of but two sources of nitrogen ; the atmosphere, 
and organized bodies 
It is admitted as ous that there exists a class of rocks 
whose creation, deposition, or fixation, was anterior to the 
existence of organized bodies. In this class of rocks, chem- 
ists have not been able to detect mg in any of its con- 
stituents; or show its presence in any manner whatever. 
This negative fact has a positive value, and allows us to infer, 
at as no nitrogen has been found in this class of rocks, con- 
sequently we must conclude, that no nitrogen exists in it: 
which, with the exception of the volcanic class, contain or- 
bodies. Now as the greater part of these organized 
hedias. are those of marine animals, containing nitrogen as an 
essential constituent of their composition ; and as we know 
of no source whence these bedies could have obtained their 
nitrogen, but from the atmosphere; we have aright to con- 
a it was. obtainedfrom that sour 
it plainly appentss 4 that those pores bodies which 
— ain n nitrogen, drew t bis principle from the atmosphere ; 
(that being the only source anterior to their existence,) it is evi- 
dent that the atmosphere no longer contains the same quan- 
tity ‘of nitrogen that it originally possessed, by the quantity 
held by the organized bodies now entombed in the bowels of 
the earth, and by those now living, whether an the surface of 
earth, in the air, or in the waters of the ea 
It must be very evident to those eke ziti geological 
facts, and with facts of natural history, that the quantity of 
organized bodies is very considerable, and calculated in the 
aforementioned manner, to affect materially the constitution 
of the atmosphere. 
The conaeanemers which follow from this abstraction of 
nitrogen from the atmosphere, are of great importance to 
es geology, throwing a flood of light upon certain parts of it, 
and enabling us to 
vablir account satisfactorily for many facts, 
ich 1 ers peseon condition of n panne y are involved in the 
