A HISTORY OF METABOLISM 



It is strange that Lavoisier's insistence upon the use of ac "i 

 quantitative measurements through the application of which nea-"V ; 

 hundred and fifty years ago he brought about the "Chemical Revoluti.. 

 should appear as new truth when enunciated by some of our ultra mode 

 scientists. 



In the heart of France near Puy-du-Dom, at Chateau de la Carriere, 

 now owned by Monsieur de Chazelles, there is a veritable museum of 

 scientific apparatus which formerly belonged to Lavoisier (Tmchot, (s) 

 1879). There are several thermometers of great accuracy and a fine 





Fig. 5. The burning glass of Tnidaine. From "(Euvres de Lavoisier," VoL JU, 



PI 



balance, and there are three large glass globes, one capable of holding 15 

 liters of air, another 12 liters and a third 7 liters; also many another 

 treasure of great historic value. Lavoisier made his experiments before 

 the days when rubber and cork reduced laboratory expenses. His gloss 

 tubes and receptacles were united with finely polished brass joints. 



We may imagine this accomplished Frenchman at work in his labora- 

 tory, or his library, or receiving information from visitors to the fashion 

 able and brilliant capital of France. It is related (Thorpe, (r) 1908) that 

 Priestley dined with Lavoisier in Paris in October, 1774, and informed 

 him concerning the production of "pure dephlogisticated air" from oxid 

 of mercury, and we may also recall that Scheele, 011 September 30 of the 

 same year, wrote to Lavoisier, asking him to expose silver carbonate to 



