CONTENTS. 



PAGE 



Development of the Natural Sciences 5 



Special Laws of Nature 6 



General Laws of Nature 5 



Course of Investigation 6 



Preconceived Views, an Impediment to Investigation 6 



Physiology as a Deductive Science 7 



Investigation pursued according to Physiological Laws ; 7 



The Difference between the Chemistry of the present Day and that of an earlier Age 8 



Point of view assumed by many Physiologists of the present Day 8 



' Confusion of Effect :md Cause 8 



False Explanation of Physical Properties , 9 



v -<r*very Phenomena of Nature is dependant on mpre than one Cause 9 



Chemical Combination 10 



Different Effects of Heat 10 



The Separation of Vital Effects, and the Chief Requisites thereto 10 



Continued Disregard of these Principles 10 



Examples 11 



Indefinite Ideas of Irritability and Irritants 11 



False Analogies 11 



Typical Force an Indefinite Idea 12 



Light considered as an Irritant 12 



Sound as an Irritant 12- 



False Idea of Reaction 13 



Verbal Explanation no Advance 13 



y-lxerciso of the Imagination with reference to Observation 14 



**- Error originates in false Observations and Combinations 14 



Observation 15 



- Examples of Erroneous Observations the supposed Influence of the Moon upon the Formation of Dew 15 



The Influence of the Atmospere upon Evaporation 15 



Dilution of the Oxygen of the Atmosphere by Nitrogen 15 



The Power of the Sun in attracting Water 16 



The Idea of Boerhave on the Origin of Alkalis in Plants 16 



False Comparison between the Cohesive Force of Crystallization and the Organic Force 16 



Explanation 17 



Comparison of the Parasite Theory with the Chemical Theory of Contagion, Miasma, and Putrefaction 17 



Influence of Mechanical Motion on Crystallization v 18 



Influence of Mechanical Motion on Crystallizing .Solutions of Salts 18 



Influence of Mechanical Motion on Sulphuret of Mercury, Iodide of Mercury, and Iron 18 



Influence of Mechanical Motion on the Indication of Chemical Affinity J8 



Heat similar to the Action of a Mechanical Force 19 



Influence of the Condition of Chemical Activity 19 



Influence of the Condition of Chemical Activity upon the Capacity of Bodies to enter into Combinations 19 



In fluence of the same Condition upon the Capacity of Bodies to suffer Decomposition 20 



Influence of a similar Condition upon Organic Substances 20 



Decayed Wood 20 



Relation of Urea and Hippuric Acid in Urine 20 



Influence of the Putrefaction of Wood on the Oxidation of Hydrogen 20 



The Fibrin of the Blood and Yeast act similarly towards Binoxide of Hydrogen 21 



Relation of combined Organic Atoms amongst themselves 21 



Putrefaction 21 



Affinity not the Cause of Putrefaction 21 



Decomposition of Arnygdulin and Asparagin by Putrefying Substances 22 



The Conversion of Starch into Sugar ,. 22 



The bame Effect produced by Animal Membrane 22 



-Fermentation and its Properties 22 



Different Desrees of Putrefaction, and their Influence upon Fermentation 22 



Milk of Almonds and Sugar 22 



Casein and Suear 23 



Animal Membrane and Sugar 23 



The Influence of a higher Temperature upon Fermentation 23 



Fousel Oil from Sucar 23 



Separation of the Sugar, similar to that of Acetic Acid occasioned by the Action of Heat 23 



The Property of causinsr Fermentation is common to all compound organic Atoms 23 



Causes of the Change of Form and Property of Matter 24 



Continuance of the Decomposition 24 



Antiseptic Substances 24 



3 



