Art. XIIL—Bibliographical Notices. 
1. Animal Chemistry, or Organic Chemistry in its Application to 
Physiology ; by Dr. Justus Lizzig, M. D., Ph. D., F. R. S., M.R.1. A, 
f. of Chem. in the University of Giessen, &c. &e. Edited from 
the author’s manuscript, by Wm. Gregory, M. D., R. K. S., &c., Prof. 
of Chem. and Med. in the University of King’s College, Aberdeen. 
American edition, with additions, notes, and corrections, by Dr. Greg- 
ory, and others by Dr. J. W. Webster, of Harvard University. Cam- 
bridge, published by John Owen, 1842. 12mo. pp.347. Also another 
edition, by Wiley & Putnam, New York. 12mo. 1842. 
This work has come under our eyes too late to receive any but a 
passing notice ; it is heralded by the enthusiastic applause of all who 
have perused it, and will be studied by all who watch the deyelop- 
ments of organic chemistry under the hands of the illustrious doctor 
of Giessen. We here begin to enjoy some of. the first fruits of that 
laborious research in organic chemistry which has occupied, especially, 
the German chemists, during several years past. The results of thou- 
sands of analyses of organic matters, seeming, as they often did when 
considered separately, of little practical value, and interesting chiefly to 
the working chemist, suddenly, as if by magic, assume, under the gen- 
ius of arrangement and philosophic deduction, unexpected importance, 
and promise to stop short only of explaining the very principle of vi- 
tality itself. The complex results of vegetable and animal life, in the 
development from so few elements, of organs and tissues so variously 
constituted, has always been viewed as one of the most recondite ques- 
tions of physical inyestigation.. In the work before us, we are taught 
to view these operations no longer in the light of imagination, but to 
consider that the atoms of complex organisms are, like all other matter, 
subject to the control of chemical laws under the influence of the vital 
principle, and to believe that the carbonic acid, the result of respira- 
tion, is as truly the product of combustion as if it came from the burn- 
ing of coals. One of the most remarkable developments of the book, 
is the identity in composition’ of matters usually considered as in no 
way related ; thus, albumen and fibrine, whether animal or vegetable, 
whether from the serum of the blood, from wheat, or gluten, are iden- 
tical in composition with each other; and what is still more remarkable, 
vegetable and animal caseine are not merely similar in composition, but 
absolutely identical, not with each other only, but with albumen and 
fibrine. Thus the following numbers express very nearly the compo- 
sition of all these substances in one hundred parts. Carbon 54, hydro- 
gen 7, nitrogen 15, oxygen, sulphur, &c. 23. This result is derived 
