Voi. I (Nuova Serie) 1910 N. 11-12. 



OlATMAUffAjEnM 



THE ORIGIN OF PETROLEUM 



By Arthur M. Edwards, M. D. 



{New Jersey, Ncwark) 



The origin of petroleum or rock oil is ascertained in California 

 where there are almost inniimerable petroleum Avells. Ascertained be- 

 yond a doubt to geologists. But where did the coal come from and 

 why is it raentioned along with petroleum ? For they are both things, 

 the oalc and the petroleum , used for fuel. And they must bave had 

 some bcginning. They can not bave existed alone. And these questions 

 are those that present themselves to the mind at an early stage , I 

 remember that when I first began to reason about things, and I was 

 very young then, I was ouly four year of age, that the origin of coal 

 was the first I enquired into. The begining of petroleum came next. 

 Petroleum or rock oil was not known then. Oil lamps in Ncav York 

 were fed by whale oil was the common fuel then. 



And the question where the petroleum came from which raeet the 

 geologist when starting at the investigation of things. For that is the 

 use of geology We leara the past by investigating the present. What 

 is, was. These questons are answered by the microgeologist; in a way 

 he aaswers them : by the microscope. And the microscope is merely 

 an adjunct to the eye. It is an eye enlarged and made more perfect. For 

 the modem microscope is nearly perfect. The eye is far from perfect. 

 In faetit is a very imperfect instrumeat. It is merely an extension of the 

 brain. 



Now coal can and does come from peat. And peat is the mass of 

 matter left by bngs, wet bogs. Let us then start woith a bog, which is 

 formed of a mass of vegetable matter, water plants, raostly algae which 

 the water plants are called. 



The.se plants aie composed of loose cellulose. The bog almost dries up, 

 the water is evaporated, and the plants die. Now instead of being green 

 // Nat. Sic, Anno XXI— Nuova Serie, Voi. I. 31 



