192 THE FITNESS OF THE ENVIRONMENT 



In the course of time, however, a long series 

 of successful syntheses of undoubted constitu- 

 ents of animals and plants, among which Woh- 

 ler's preparation of urea in 1828 is the most 

 famous, completely destroyed the old erro- 

 neous assumption. The compounds of organic 

 chemistry gradually came to be recognized 

 as different from inorganic substances only 

 in the special characteristics of the elements 

 carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen when in chem- 

 ical union with one another, just as the com- 

 pounds of any other elements have their own 

 specific characteristics. No other difference 

 remains; every principle of chemical science 

 applies to organic and inorganic substances 

 alike; and accordingly life has been for- 

 ever subjected to the general laws of chem- 

 istry. 



As syntheses multiplied, the organic chem- 

 ist found many fields for investigation where 

 life was not concerned. The application of 

 his new substances in the arts, as well as many 

 fascinating theoretical problems, led him on, 

 until, about the middle of the century or a 

 little later, it became clear that organic sub- 

 stances in the original sense are but a small 

 part of his scope. His occupation had be- 

 come the study of all the compounds of 

 carbon, wherever and however they might 



