OF BODIES CONTAINING NITROGEN. 307 



between the oxygen and hydrogen of its own sub- 

 stance, and of the water, — carburetted hydrogen is 

 consequently evolved, as well as carbonic acid, both 

 of which compounds have an analogous composition 

 (CH2, C02).* 



Thus also in that transformation of sugar, which 

 is called fermentation, its elements are divided into 

 two portions ; the one, carbonic acid, which contains 

 § of the oxygen of sugar ; and the other, alcohol, 

 which contains all its hydrogen. 



In the transformation of acetic acid produced by 

 a red heat, carbonic acid, which contains § of the 

 oxygen of the acetic acid, is formed, and acetone, 

 which contains 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 

 which enter into action ; or, in other words, that the 

 products differ ad infinitum^ according to the com- 

 position of the original substance. 



ON THE TRANSFORMATION OF BODIES CONTAINING NITROGEN. 



When those substances are examined which are 

 most prone to fermentation and putrefaction, it is 

 found that they are all, without exception, bodies 

 which contain nitrogen. In many of these com- 

 pounds, a transposition of their elements occurs 

 spontaneously as soon as they cease to form a part 

 of a living organism ; that is, when they are drawn 



* C carbon, H hydrogen, O oxygen. 



