OF BODIES NOT CONTAINING NITROGEN. 2SI 



an oxide of a hydro-carbon which contains all the oxygen 

 (aldehyde), and some gaseous compounds of carbon and hydro- 

 gen, being produced. 



It is evident that during the transformation caused by heat, no 

 foreign affinities can be in play, so that the new compounds must 

 result merely from the elements arranging themselves, accord- 

 ing to the degree of their mutual affinities, into new combina- 

 tions, which are constant and unchangeable in the conditions 

 under which they were originally formed, but undergo changes 

 when these conditions become different. If we compare the pro- 

 ducts of two bodies, similar in composition but different in pro- 

 perties, subjected to transformations under the influence of two 

 different causes, we find that the manner in which the atoms are 

 transposed is absolutely the same in both. 



In the transformation of wood in marshy soils, by what 

 we call putrefaction, its carbon is shared between the oxygen 

 and hydrogen of its own substance, and of the water : car- 

 buretted hydrogen is consequently evolved, as well as carbonic 

 acid, both of which compounds have an analogous composition 

 (CH„ C0 8 ). 



Thus also, in the transformation of sugar called fermentation, 

 its elements are divided into two portions ; the one, carbonic acid, 

 contains •§■ of the oxygen of sugar ; and the other, alcohol, con- 

 tains all its hydrogen. 



In the transformation of acetic acid, produced by a red heat, 

 carbonic acid, containing f of the oxygen of the acetic acid, is 

 formed, and acetone, containing all its hydrogen. 



It is evident, from these facts, that the elements of a complex 

 compound are left to their special attractions whenever their 

 equilibrium is disturbed, from whatever cause this disturbance 

 may proceed. It appears also, that the subsequent distribution 

 of the elements, so as to form new combinations, always takes 

 place in the same way, with this difference only, that the nature 

 of the products formed is dependent upon the number of atoms 

 of the elements entering into action ; or, in other words, that 

 the products differ ad infinitum, according to the composition of 

 the original substance. 



