Vital Physics. 6r 



the mutual balance of antagonizing force and to obliterate 

 the entity as a molecule, and to resolve it back to its atomic 

 permanency, the caloric having outlawed the attractive 

 element in the molecule by repulsion. 



Having so far denned what is to be understood by a 

 molecule, it will be well to next consider what is to be 

 said of the molecule itself as an abiding element, or as a 

 synatomic compound or molecule. It may be therefore said 

 that each synatom or molecule is in itself to be considered 

 as having distinct degrees of repellent and attractive fluids 

 permeating its substance, each specific synatom, as of fibrine, 

 albumen, protein, strychnine, and quinine having its own 

 fixed and constant measure of appropriation of each fluid, 

 according to external conditions, some being more attrac- 

 tive centrally and others superficially, but in the organic 

 world so duly adjusted^as to be pretty evenly balanced when 

 in a state of perfection, but most of them very susceptible of 

 the appropriation of caloric ; the inorganic synatoms being 

 frequently the reverse of this, as carbonate of iron, oxide of 

 iron, oxides of metals generally, and earths, as carbonate 

 of lime, sulphates and nitrates, etc., etc. But all synatoms, 

 when solid, by absorbing caloric, are rendered liquid, and 

 absorbing free caloric when fluid, become gaseous in one or 

 more of their elements, or change directly to the gaseous 

 condition. 



It may be presumed that the properties of atoms are not 

 only bound by the different degrees of contending forces 

 existing in each particle, but by the special form each atom 

 possesses. Thus, in crystallography special substances 

 have their particular forms of crystals, as tartar emetic and 

 arsenic, bichloride of mercury, silicon, carbon and iron, etc. 

 If certain aggregate forms of matter have a specific range of 

 crystal formation, does this arise from the absence or 

 presence of form in the special elements or element entering 



