302 CHEMICAL TRANSFORMATIONS. 



of sugar 36, 1 of amygdalin 90, and 1 of stearic 

 acid 138 equivalents. The component parts of 

 animal bodies are infinitely more complex even than 

 these. 



Inorganic compound's differ from organic in as 

 great a degree in their other characters as in their 

 simplicity of constitution. Thus, the decomposition 

 of a compound atom of sulphate of potash is aided 

 by numerous causes, such as the power of cohesion, 

 or the capability of its constituents to form solid; 

 insoluble, or at certain temperatures volatile com- 

 pounds with the body brought into contact with it, 

 and nevertheless a vast number of other substances 

 produce in it not the slightest change. Now^, in the 

 decomposition of a conlJ)lex organic atom, there is 

 nothing similar to this. 



The empirical formula of sulphate of potash is 

 SKO4.* It contains only 1 eq. of sulphur, and 1 eq. 

 of potassium. We may suppose the oxygen to be 

 differently distributed in the compound, and by a 

 decomposition we may remove a part or all of it, or 

 replace one of the constituents of the compound by 

 another substance. But w^e cannot produce a differ- 

 ent arrangement of the atoms, because they are 

 already disposed in the simplest form in w^hich it is 

 possible for them to combine. Now, let us compare 

 the composition of sugar of grapes with the above : 

 here 12 eq. of carbon, 12 eq. of hydrogen, and 12 eq. 

 of oxygen, are united together, and we know that 

 they are capable of combining with each other in 

 the most various ways. From the formula of sugar, 

 we might consider it either as a hydrate of carbon, 

 wood, starch, or sugar of milk, or further, as a com- 

 pound of ether with alcohol or of formic acid with 

 sachulmin.f Indeed, we may calculate almost all 

 the known organic compounds destitute of nitrogen 



* S denotes sulphur, K (Kali) potash, O oxygen, 4 the number of 

 atoms. When no number is used, one atom is understood. 



i The black precipitate obtained by the action of hydrochloric acid 

 on sugar. 



