THE ELEMENTS AMJ EIFE ;]U0 



The altogether remarkable and exceptional properties of 

 carbon are fully reeognised by modern chemists, as well shown 

 by Professor II. E. Armstrong's statements in his Presidential 

 Address to the British Association in lUU'J : 



"The central luminary of our system, let me insist, is the ele- 

 ment carbon. The constancy of this element, the firmness of its 

 affections and affinities, distinguishes it from all others. It is only 

 when its attributes are understood that it is possible to frame any 

 proper picture of the possibilities which lie before us of the place of 

 our science in the cosmos." 



And a little further on he says: 



" Our present conception is, that the carbon atom has tetrahodral 

 properties in the sense that it has four affinities which operate 

 practically in the direction of four radii proceeding from the centre 

 towards the four solid angles of a regular tetrahedron. . . . 

 The completeness with which the fundamental properties of the 

 carbon atom are symbolised by a regular tetrahedron being alto- 

 gether astounding." 



And again : 



" It would seem that carbon has properties which are altogether 

 special; the influence which it exerts upon other elements in de- 

 priving them of their activity is so remarkable." 



We see, therefore, that carbon is perhaps the most unique, 

 in its physical and chemical properties, of the whole series of 

 the elements, and so far as the evidence points, it seems to 

 exist for the one purpose of rendering the development of 

 organised life a possibility. It further appears that its unique 

 chemical properties, in combination with those of the other 

 elements which constitute protoplasm, have enabled the various 

 forms of life to produce that almost infinite variety of sub- 

 stances adapted for man's use and enjoyment, and especially 

 to serve the purposes of his ever-advancing research into the 

 secrets of the universe. 



