ON THE VITALISTIC VIEW OF NATURE. 393 



chemistry at the Medical School of Paris in 1841. 

 With him was associated Boussingault, the man who, 

 next to Liebig, did most for the elaboration of the true 

 principles of agricultural chemistry. 



To Liebig, organic chemistry did not mean the chemis- 

 try of the carbon compounds as it is denned nowadays, 

 and has largely become since Dumas himself introduced 

 into science the fruitful method and idea of substitution. 

 This idea extended the facilities of the laboratory chemist 

 enormously, 1 but also marks the altered view which has is. 



Change in 



since taken hold of organic chemistry, the alliance with organic 



chemistry. 



arts and industries rather than with an understanding 

 of the economy and the phenomena of living organisms. 

 From the moment of that alliance dates the division 

 of organic chemistry into the two great branches of 

 the chemistry of carbon compounds and the chemistry 



1 It is well known that organic cultural chemistry. " I have with- 



chemistry during Liebig's lifetime drawn from organic chemistry," said 



outgrew the canons and the circle of Liebig, " for with the theory of 



ideas in which he moved, and that substitution as a foundation, the 



he complained of not being able to edifice of chemical science may be 



understand the papers in his own built up by workmen : masters are 



periodical, the 'Annalen,' &c. j no longer needed" (Shenstone, 'J. 



Liebig originally opposed Dumas' \ von Liebig,' 1895, p. 61). Already, 



ideas on substitution, but in the in 1838, Liebig and Wohler, in their 



end admitted himself defeated, investigation on uric acid and its 



when, through Hofmann, he became derivatives, prophetically suggested 



convinced " that the character of a the twofold development which 



chemical substance does not depend organic chemistry was destined to 



so much as he had supposed on the take : " From these researches the 



nature of its constituent atoms, philosophy of chemistry must draw 



and depends very largely also on : the conclusion that the synthesis 



the manner in which these atoms are | of all organic compounds which 



arranged. Some years afterwards, are not organised must be looked 



at a dinner given by the French upon not merely as probable, but as 



chemists to chemical visitors to the certain of ultimate achievement " 



Exhibition of 1867, Liebig made his ('Annalen,' &c., vol. xxvi. p. 242). 



defeat on this occasion the source of In fact, we have now a chemistry 



a happy retort to Dumas, who had of organic and one of organised 



asked him why of late years he had substances, 

 devoted himself exclusively to agri- 



