Researches in the Theory and Calculus of Operations. 319 



eliminated force, the product of the operation being of the 

 same quality throughout the circle of cells. But if the 

 series of jars were supplied each with a different fluid com- 

 pound, the results of the operation would differ from jar to 

 jar; and as different compounds possess different shades of 

 intensity (or quantity and quality) of force, the finally 

 eliminated force would necessarily hold a corresponding 

 modification derived from each separate constituent of the 

 medium through which it passed. Each vessel of the cir- 

 cuit is an initiator of chemical action, and consequently 

 increases by so much the amount of eliminated force. Sub- 

 stitute a continuous medium of variable substance for the 

 disconnected media enclosed in the jars, and apply the 

 galvanic torch : we prefigure a process of de- and re-com- 

 position in which there is a concomitant growth of force 

 and substance, arising out of the transformation of a varying 

 compound, and therefore possessing different qualities in 

 different portions of its extension. The force acquires its 

 unity of quantity and variety of quality, and the variable 

 reactive media have been incorporated into an organized 

 being. 



In the elimination of force from a compound fluid mole- 

 cule, for example, by the decomposition of water in the 

 galvanic jar (fig. 41), each atom of water is regarded as a 

 case of equilibrium between a semiatomic hydrogen and a 

 semiatomic oxygen force. In the first (infinitesimal) semi- 

 unit of time of the operation, the advancing semiatomic 

 force of the atom b of zinc attacks and destroys the semi- 

 atomic oxygen force of the atom of water a, liberating at 

 the same time both the semiatomic hydrogen force of 

 the same atom and the complementary semiatomic force 

 of the atom of zinc; the former of which takes its depar- 

 ture as positive force on the perfect (copper) conductor e, 

 while the latter plods its slower path as negative force on 

 the imperfect (zinc) conductor z. In the second semiunit 



