INTRODUCTION. 21 



In accordance with all these views, it is now ardently and perse- 

 veringly cultivated, in every enlightened country. In every university 

 and medical school ; in every college ; in many academies ; in volunta- 

 ry associations, in larger and smaller towns, supporting Lyceums* and 

 Athenaeums ;* in popular courses of lectures, sustained by private indi- 

 viduals ; and even in manufacturing establishments, fostered by the 

 zeal of the operative artizans ; chemistry, with the sister sciences, 

 natural philosophy and natural history, is assiduously and advantage- 

 ously cultivated. It would in this age, be as disreputable for any per- 

 son, claiming to have received a liberal education, or to possess liberal 

 knowledge, to be ignorant of the great principles and the leading 

 facts of chemical as of mechanical philosophy. Many intelligent 

 artizans now resort to philosophical lecture rooms, to learn more per- 

 fectly the principles of their respective arts ; and the great familiarity 

 with the practical facts of their callings which they, of course pos- 

 sess, and ordinarily in a degree superior to that attained by teachers- 

 of science, enables them to apply with great advantage the general 

 principles which they acquire. 



Domestic economy is greatly benefitted by a correct knowledge 

 of the principles of natural science and especially of chemistry. 

 Besides the instances that have been already named the combus- 

 tion of fuel ; the equal and economical distribution of heat and 

 light ; the preservation of delicate fruits and of their extracts or 

 jellies ; the preparation of food by steaming, boiling and roasting ; 

 the extraction of animal gelatine ; the manufacture of starch ; the 

 separation of butter and cheese from the milk ; the bleaching and 

 dyeing of stuffs and many more domestic arts depend upon the prin- 

 ciples of science, and chiefly upon those of chemistry. It is true 

 that these things are accomplished, with more or less skill, by per- 

 sons unacquainted with science, but they would be better and more 

 effectually done, were the artists enlightened more generally in its 

 principles. To insist on no other instance, there is no doubt that 

 in the common modes of using fuel, a large part is wasted, and that 

 part skilfully applied would be more effectual than the whole, as it is 

 in most cases actually used. 



There is now, generally, but one opinion as to the importance of 

 chemical science to the profession of medicine. This opinion is 

 sufficiently evinced by the fact, that there is no medical school in 

 which chemistry is not taught, nor any medical examination in which 

 this topic is omitted. It is true that medicine may be practised, em- 

 pirically, by those who understand neither the structure- of the human 

 frame, nor the nature and properties of the substances, which they 



* Popular names in this country for certain institutions having for their object, the 

 dissemination of useful knowledge. 



