546 



Miscellaneous. 



nical physiologist, except those of Reum, whom nobody regards as a 

 vegetable physiologist at all, and the general physiology of Burdach, 

 who adheres to the poetical fancies of Schelling, which are rejected 

 by nearly all who have acquired any reputation in these branches of 

 science. Besides, he seems to have forgotten, or perhaps he never 

 knew, that Miiller, Schwann, and other physiologists, have distin- 

 guished themselves by important discoveries in chemistry. Indeed, 

 Dr. Liebig would seem to know nothing about anything except che- 

 mistry, and even in that science to be only acquainted with his own 

 views, when, among other observations, he maintains in a very 

 arrogant way, that the art of making experiments can only be ac- 

 quired in a chemical laboratory. It would seem as if he had never 

 heard of experimental natural philosophy, and that the names of 

 Faraday, Arago, Biot, Seebeck, &c. have never reached his ears. 

 What conclusions, then, shall we draw from his assertions? It is 

 a most unpleasant task to enter into a dispute with an author who 

 evidently has not digested what he has published, for in such a case 

 it must remain a matter of great doubt how far he intends to be an- 

 swerable for his own opinions and assertions. 



We are bound to support these our opinions of Dr. Liebig's work 

 by some passages taken from the book itself. He says, p. 18, " It 

 is certain that plants decompose carbonic acid;" p. 60 and 61, how- 

 ever, he thinks it very improbable that the carbonic acid is decom- 

 posed, and shows that it is much more probable that water is decom- 

 posed. Page 35, he says, " As pure starch of potatoes, when dis- 

 solved in nitric acid, leaves behind a ring of the finest wax, what 

 can be objected if the chemist hence draws the conclusion that each 

 molecule of starch is composed of concentric layers of wax and 

 amylum, which thus reciprocally protect one another against the 

 influence of water and ether V It does not appear to have occurred 

 to Dr. Liebig that the term, "reciprocally" must expose him to 

 ridicule. One kind of matter must be on the external surface ; and 

 by the alternate action of water and of ether the molecule of starch 

 should, of course, be dissolved : which, however, does not take place, 

 as is well known. It is hard to suppose that Dr. Liebig is so igno- 

 rant of his own science as not to know that starch is easily dissolved 

 in boiling water, diluted sulphuric acid, and diluted alkalies, and 



