64 Scientifie T Oe 
but who can say, in the present state of science, that the hypothe- 
sis of Prout does not rest on a more or less solid foundation ? 
Other experimental laws, as for example, that "of Boyle and Mar- 
question be to deny the absolute a of Stony _ weights. 
fw : 
the: mass of matter; on the contrary, the mass may e the same. 
woke the energy increase, as when the velocity increases. Why 
may not the same thing take Bene for ehemmioal energy, although 
confined within certain narrow limits? At first it appears pica eS 
parts e. carbon (or rather 31°92 for 11-97); it will be a combina- — 
tion of carbon and ox gen in which the ae, Somat el of the 
constituents may vary, for instance, between the 8 12:32 an 
11°8:32, But will these varieties of carbon dioxide constitute 
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remaining wished ee “all cases since the relative iidanligee of 
chemical energy acting on the side of each element remain the 
same in spite of the changes in the mass of the carriers of this 
 Afeoe the presentation of the above paper to the Chemical Soci- 
ety of Paris by Wurtz, ScuuTzeNBERGER gave his views on the 
subject, aera’ the facts which led hin to the conclusion that 
the law of definite proportions was not absolute as generally sup- 
osed. poste rding to his analyses, a body such as water ma 
vary in composition between very narrow limits, the differences 
not sensibly affecting its fae orga Between these limits , there 
is a ratio pga apatite o the maximum stability which in the 
