260 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIVING AND DEAD MATTER. 



" The butyric acid is made by combining carbon and hydrogen 

 directly, by forming the electric light between carbon points in 

 an atmosphere of hydrogen, thus making acetylene. The 

 acetylene is absorbed by ammoniacal solution of cuprous 

 chloride to form cuproso- vinyl oxide. This compound, heated 

 with zinc and dilute ammonia, yields ethene, or heavy car- 

 buretted hydrogen. This, absorbed by strong sulphuric acid, 

 gives vinyl -sulphuric acid, which, diluted with water and dis- 

 tilled, gives ethyl-alcohol. Alcohol is converted into iodide of 

 ethyl (in the same way as iodide of methyl is formed), which is 

 heated with zinc in a sealed tube, when quartane, or C 4 H 10 is 

 formed. Chlorine converts this into quartyl-chloride, C 4 H 9 Cl. 

 This is heated with potassium-acetate and strong acetic acid, 

 which forms quartyl- acetate, and this, treated with barium 

 hydrate, yields butyl-alcohol. The acetic acid used in this re- 

 action can be made by oxidizing ethyl-alcohol by platinum 

 black. The butyl- alcohol, by oxidation with platinum black, 

 gives butyric acid. The butyric acid has now to be mixed with 

 the dimethylamin, to give the butyrate required" (MS. Letter). 



Thus we have an enormously complicated process, 

 requiring numerous changes of temperature and a 

 carefully- watched and designed succession of processes 

 in an order which, if interrupted or left to chance, 

 would spoil the whole. Does any one really feel that 

 his comprehension of the formation of complicated 

 products by chance at the bottom of the sea, .or in the 

 neighbourhood of volcanoes in the primeval world, is 

 really helped by looking into these details ? Surely 

 the contrary ! And when you have got this substance, 

 you are as far on your way to albumen as a man 

 ascending a small hill would be on his way to the 

 moon. And when' you have got albumen, you are 

 still as far from living matter as in the moon you 

 wpuld be from the fixed stars, for all we have yet had 



