DR. PROUT ON CHEMISTRY. 
445 
2. But organic compounds in general do differ very much, in 
their sensible and other properties, from those of the inorganic 
kingdom ; we have, therefore, to inquire briefly, in the second 
place, into the nature and reason of these differences. Organized 
bodies in general do not crystallize; instead, therefore, of being 
bounded by straight lines and angles, they are usually more or 
less rounded, and their intimate structure is amorphus. Indeed 
it is a remarkable fact, that no crystallizable body (even water 
and the saline matters of the blood are doubtful) seems capable 
of constituting a portion of a living organized being; such pro¬ 
ducts, when they do occur, being either the result of excretion or 
of disease, or of some artificial process. Thus sugar, above- 
mentioned, in its crystallized state, is the result of an elaborate 
artificial process, the object of which is the separation of a num¬ 
ber of other matters naturally existing in combination with it in 
the juice of the cane, and which, as long as they are present, 
effectually deprive it of the power of crystallization ; and, indeed, 
it has been known, from time immemorial, that all organized 
bodies, when submitted to combustion, leave minute portions of 
earthy and saline bodies constituting their ashes. These bodies 
have been usually viewed as foreign matters accidentally present; 
but I never could bring myself to subscribe to this opinion : on the 
contrary, they have always appeared to me to constitute the grand 
difference between inorganized and organized bodies, and to per¬ 
form the most important functions ; or, in other words, that organ¬ 
ization cannot exist without them. The following are a few of 
my reasons for this opinion:— 
Every one must have remarked how much the external cha¬ 
racters and properties of all substances are liable to be modified 
by different modes of aggregation, and a slight admixture of 
foreign matters: this holds good both in the inorganized and 
organized productions. Thus, what can be more striking than 
the infinite variety of forms or conditions which common carbo¬ 
nate of lime assumes from these causes ? Iceland spar, pure 
white marble, and common chalk, owe their differences solely to 
the modes in which their particles are aggregated ; but these dif¬ 
ferences are trifling when compared with the infinite variety pro¬ 
duced in the same substance by a slight admixture of other 
matters. Another familiar instance in which the properties rather 
than the external characters of a body are changed by a minute 
admixture of foreign matter, is steel; which important substance, 
as every body knows, is essentially composed of iron, combined 
or mixed with an insignificant proportion of carbon. The modi¬ 
fications, however, produced in the inorganic kingdom are by no 
means so striking and important as those produced by similar 
vol. iv. ' 3 p 
