4> 6 9 
vegetable and animal substances. 
grouped together in a compound. On this view, none of 
them should be expected to consist of a single atom of each 
component. The allurement of theoretic simplicity has led 
some ingenious philosophers to represent sugar by 1 atom of 
carbon, 1 atom of oxygen, and 1 atom of hydrogen; or of 
40 carbon, 53% oxygen, and 6j hydrogen in 100 parts. But 
I am satisfied that all sound specimens of sugar will yield 
considerably more carbon than 40 per cent. 
Starch is liable to a similar deterioration with sugar ; that 
is, some species of it make a much firmer coagulum with hot 
water than others ; a difference probably due to the proportion 
of oxygen. The starch here employed was that of com- 
merce, and was not chemically desiccated : hence, the re- 
dundancy of water beyond the equivalent proportion. A little 
hygrometric moisture was present also in the gum, as it was 
not artificially dried. A note of interrogation is placed after 
azote. That doubt will I trust be solved, when I complete 
my analyses of grains, roots, and leaves, with the view of 
tracing the origin of azote in the bodies of graminivorous 
animals. 
We now come to a class of bodies in which the hydrogen 
predominates over the oxygen. With regard to resin, I be- 
lieve the quantity of its carbon to be somewhat underrated in 
the table. Though three experiments were made on it, I now 
perceive that I had omitted to re-triturate and re-ignite ; and 
the carbon of resin is very difficult of oxygenation. Its true 
composition is probably, 
Carbon 8 atoms 
b.o 
75.00 
Hydrogen 8 
1.0 
12.50 
Oxygen 1 
1.0 
12.50 
8.0 
100.00 
