238 CHEMICAL TRANSFORMATIONS 



ON THE TRANSFORMATION OF BODIES WHICH 

 DO NOT CONTAIN NITROGEN AS A CONSTI- 

 TUENT. 



WHEN oxygen and hydrogen combined in equal 

 equivalents, as in steam, are conducted over char- 

 coal, heated to the temperature at which it pos- 

 sesses the power to enter into combination with 

 one of these elements, a decomposition of the steam 

 ensues. An oxide of carbon (either carbonic 

 oxide or carbonic acid) is under all circumstances 

 formed, while the hydrogen of the water is liberated, 

 or, if the temperature be sufficient, unites with the 

 carbon forming carburetted hydrogen. Accord- 

 ingly, the carbon is shared between the elements 

 of the water, the oxygen and hydrogen. Now a 

 participation of this kind, but even more complete, 

 is observed in every transformation, whatever be 

 the nature of the causes by which it is effected. 



Acetic and meconic acids suffer a true transfor- 

 mation under the influence of heat, that is, their 

 component elements are disunited, and form new 

 compounds without any of them being singly dis- 

 engaged. Acetic acid is converted into acetone 

 and carbonic acid (04 H3 O3 = C3 H3 O + CO2), 

 and meconic acid into carbonic acid and komenic 

 acid ; whilst by the influence of a higher tempera- 

 ture, the latter is further decomposed into pyro- 

 meconic acid and carbonic acid. 



Now in these cases the carbon of the bodies de- 



