CARBONIC ACID 153 



in water is not favorable for the best results, 

 its instability is a fatal obstacle. 



Such are the physico-chemical facts re- 

 garding neutrality regulation in heterogeneous 

 systems by means of carbonic acid and bicar- 

 bonates, and, though the exposition is difficult, 

 it has seemed necessary to make them clear. 

 For there is, I believe, except in celestial me- 

 chanics, no other case of such accuracy in a 

 natural regulation of the environment. More- 

 over, the chemist has discovered no means of 

 rivaling the efficiency and delicacy of adjust- 

 ment of the process. Finally, acidity and 

 alkalinity surpass all other conditions, even 

 temperature and concentration of reacting 

 substances, in the influence which they exert 

 upon many chemical processes. 1 



Almost wholly through this mechanism the 

 oceans are always nearly neutral. Chiefly 

 with its aid protoplasm and blood possess an 

 unvarying reaction. Quite recently the con- 

 centration of hydrogen ions in the ocean has 

 been very carefully studied by Palitzsch, 2 



1 Of all catalytic agents these ions are by far the most 

 important. In their influence upon the stability of colloidal 

 systems they are also unapproached by other substances. 



2 " Etant donne que 1'eau de mer a un contact is intime 

 avec les organ ismes de la mer et que non seulement elle les 

 entoure de ses flots, mais qu'elle traverse leurs branchies et 

 impregne en partie les corp des invertebres, il semble assez 



