274: Combination of the Elements of Organic Nature. [April, 



IS7 eleinentary atoms: or, even supposing potash to contain only 

 one atom of oxygen, the atom of cr)'staliizecl alum will still con- 

 tain 'J 1 elementary atoms. 



Tlie organic atoms must be much larger than those of the first 

 order in organic nature: hence the reason why their capacity of 

 saturation is in general so small. 



It is well known that sugar of milk and gum arabic form mucous 

 acid when treated with nitric acid, while sugar and starch do not 

 furnish any of this acid. In the two first the hydrogen has to the 

 oxygen the same ratio as in water. The two last contain hydrogen 

 in excess. 



Sugar of milk is composed of 8 O + 10 C + 16 H 



JNIucous acid contains SO + (JC + lOH 



•If from the first you take 4 C + 6 H, you obtain the second. 

 In the same manner, by taking from two atoms of gum arabic 4 C 

 + y H, you will leave three atoms of mucous acid. As to sugar 

 and starch, if you represent the first as containing 20 atoms of 

 oxygen, and the last as containing IS atoms, we shall find it im- 

 possible to form mucous acid without taking away some atoms of 

 oxygen. 



VVe may then form the idea that the organic atoms have a cer- 

 tain mechanical structure, which enables us to deprive some of 

 them of certain elementary atoms without altering the whole very 

 much. In this way we remove certain atoms of sugar of milk, and 

 there remains mucous acid. If we continue to remove other atoms, 

 this acid is likewise destroyed, and the whole reduced to the com- 

 mon products of the decomposition of the ternary oxides, namely, 

 oxalic and malic acids. The construction of the atom of common 

 sugar is such that, as soon as you take away the first elementary 

 atom, it separates (so to speak) into oxalic and malic acids. It is 

 only by such a structure that we can explain the different products 

 from the action of nitric acid on the ternary oxides, composed of 

 the same elements, and in proportions (stated in per cents.) but 

 little diftcrent fiom each other. 



I am persuaded that an attempt to study the probabilities of the 

 construction of organic atoms, nearly in the same way as Dr. Wol- 

 laston endeavoured to represent the composition of horacite, by 

 means of differently coloured balls — I am persuaded, I say, that 

 such a study would be of the greatest importance, and might be 

 even capable of correcting analysis ; as analysis might probably in- 

 dicate a number of elementary atoms, incapable of forming any 

 regular figure whatever. 



If we were actjuainted with the composition of alcohol, and of 

 several varieties of sugar, the theory of fermentation would follow 

 as a consequence from this knowledge. It is natural to suppose 

 that fermentaiion is a very simple operation, and that it connects 

 merely in tiie formation of carbonic acid gas, from the carbon of 

 the sugar uniting partly with the oxygen of the sugar, and partly 



