CHEMISTRY OF A LUMP OF SUGAR. 



A REMARKABLE substance is found in the 

 "^" juices or sap of plants, which, when placed in 

 the mouth, or brought in contact with the nerves of 

 taste, produces a "sweet" sensation. This is sugar. 

 It has been stated that the human organism is capa- 

 ble of producing sugar, and that it is secreted by the 

 liver in considerable quantities. We believe that 

 hepatic sugar is not produced directly by that organ, 

 but that it secretes a substance which, on exposure 

 to the air, changes to sugar instantly. Vegetables 

 alone seem to be the main agencies for manufac- 

 turing this interesting and important substance. A 

 lump of sugar is sweet ; a lump of salt, pungent, 

 or bitter ; a lump of cream of tartar, sour ; why 

 this difference in substances so much alike phys- 

 ically ? The substances are all colorless, resemble 

 each other in crystalline structure, cohere together 

 in a similar manner, and are about equally solu- 

 ble in water. Chemistry reveals to us the simple 

 fact that .in the constitution of these bodies differ- 

 ent elements are employed, and the grouping of 

 the atoms varies considerably ; and this is all the 



