154 Notices respecting New Boohs. 



argued that the molecular formulae of Methyl and Ethyl should be 

 (CH 3 ) 2 and (C 2 H 5 ) 2 respectively. But the hydrides of these 

 radicals have respectively the formulas CH 3 H and C 2 H 5 H: 

 Schorlemmer has shown that C 2 H. H is identical, not isomeric, 

 with Erankland's Methyl (CH 3 ) 2 . Erankland's own investigation 

 upon the action of Chlorine upon Methyl (?) and upon Ethylic 

 hydride, led him to regard these bodies as isomeric only. We 

 had supposed that Schorlemmer's investigations had finally settled 

 this point ; but from what Erankland says in the present volume, 

 he, at least, does not appear to regard the evidence as perfectly 

 conclusive either way. Had the researches upon the Isolation of 

 the Alcoholic radicals been productive of no other effect than to 

 incite other chemists to attack the problems which they enunciated, 

 they would have deserved the warmest thanks of every student of 

 chemical science. But they did more than this : in these researches 

 a great number of new and most important facts were added to 

 the science ; new instruments and new methods of research were 

 introduced to the chemist ; and new generalizations were advanced, 

 which have most powerfully aided in the advancement of the true 

 scientific study of the carbon compounds, notwithstanding that some 

 of them have been unable to withstand the criticism, and have 

 failed to completely explain the facts amassed by later investigators. 

 The analogy between Erankland's Alcoholic radicals, (CH 3 ) 2 , 

 (C 2 H 5 ) 2 , &c, and Hydrogen (H 2 ) doubtless led to important 

 generalizations ; it may, however, it seems to us, be pushed too 

 far. If the molecule be the smallest part of a body which exhibits 

 the properties of that body, then (CH 3 ) 2 and (C 2 H 5 ) 2 may be the 

 molecular formulae of methyl and ethyl respectively. In entering 

 into chemical action, these molecules may be regarded as splitting 

 up each into two atoms, CH 3 and C 2 H 5 , just as we regard the 

 molecule H 2 as being divided into H H before a chemical combina- 

 tion takes place between hydrogen and another body. But if this 

 -be a true hypothesis concerning the molecular and atomic consti- 

 tution of Methyl and Ethyl, it would almost necessitate the view 

 that, after all, transmutation or something analogous thereto is 

 actually a fact, because the atom (if one may speak of the atom of 

 a compound) CH 3 combines with another atom CH 3 to produce 

 the same compound as is formed when the atoms C 2 H. and H 

 combine together. 



At the beginning of the volume now before us is placed a paper, 

 first published some ten years ago, on Notation. We cannot but 

 regard it as a mistake on the part of Dr. Erankland that in collect- 

 ing his researches he has maintained that peculiar notation which, 

 with its thick and thin letters, with its small O's and large C's, 

 has never met with favour among chemists in general, and the 

 presence of which in the present work must surely somewhat 

 narrow the influence for good of these memoirs. This notation is 

 founded on many somewhat sweeping generalizations : it really, 

 we think, assumes an amount of knowledge which we do not pos- 

 sess ; and in doing this it tends, we are afraid, rather to hinder 

 than to advance the progress of true inquiry. 



