EDITORIAL. 
379 
carbonic  acid  and  ammonia.  The  compounds  which  are  formed  in  plants, 
suffer,  during-  the  growth  of  the  latter,  continual  changes,  as  well  in  physical 
as  in  chemical  relation.  The  ascertaining  of  the  conditions  under  which  the 
formation  of  organic  matters  in  plants  occurs,  as  well  as  the  changes  in  the 
same  which  they  continually  undergo,  is  the  object  of  the  physiology  of 
plants,  and  this  is  the  basis  of  rational  agriculture. 
Without  the  influence  of  the  vitality  of  plants,  as  yet.  only  a  few  organic 
compounds  can  be  produced  ;  and  it  was  believed,  until  recently,  that  organic 
bodies  could  only  be  formed  through  the  inherent  vital  powers  of  plants. 
This  view  is  completely  refuted  by  the  new  researches  in  the  province  of 
organic  chemistry,  since  chemists  have  succeeded  in  producing  artificially 
complete  oiganic  combinations  out  of  inorganic  matter,  and  precisely  such  as 
occur  in  plants  and  animals.  Thus,  if  sulpho-carbonic  acid  CS2  and  chlo- 
rine be  led  through  a  glowing  porcelain  tube,  chloride  of  sulphur  arises,  and 
also  a  combination  which  consists  of  C2CI4  =  (C2COCI3.  If  this  compound 
be  again  led  through  a  glowing  tube,  it  decomposes  into  chlorine  and 
CiCIg  —  (C4CI3)  CI3.  If  we  treat  these  bodies  with  potassa,  we  obtain  3 
atoms  chloride  of  potassium,  and  C4CI3O3,  or  chloracetic  acid  ;  and  if  we 
let  6  atoms  potassium  and  3  atoms  HO  act  upon  this,  we  obtain  3  atoms 
chloride  potassium,  3  atoms  KO,  and  1  atom  acetic  acid=  (CiH.^Ch.  By  the 
action  of  chlorine  upon  sulpho-carbonic  acid,  under  water,  we  obtain  a  vola- 
tile crystalline  body  which  may  be  considered  as  consisting  of  C2GI4,  2SO2. 
If  this  compound  be  overflowed  with  a  solution  of  potassa,  w^e  obtain  a 
potassa  salt  of  an  acid  which  consists  of  C.Cb^Q.s,  a|1(I  if  this  be  exposed 
to  the  cuirent  of  a  two-piped  zinc  and  coal  battery,  by  the  presence  of  water, 
the  chlorine  is  gradually  replaced  by  hydrogen,  and  thus  compounds  are 
formed  which  consist  of  C2HCI2,  SaOs,  CsHaCl,  S2Og  and  C*Hs,  S2O5.  The 
substance  C2H.3  is  methyl,  which  occurs  in  combination  with  oxygen  in  the 
oil  of  Gaultheria  procumbens.  If,  over  a  mixture  of  carbon  and  carbonate  of 
potassa,  heated  to  redness,  we  lead  nitrogen  gas,  we  obtain  cyanide  of  potas- 
sium KjNCaJ  cyanogen  with  hydrogen  gives  hydrocyanic  acid ;  hydrocyanic 
acid  and  water,  by  alternate  decomposition,  form  formic  acid  and  ammonia. 
Heated  potassium,  with  oxide  of  carbon,  gives  a  compound  which,  by  being 
dissolved  in  water,  forms  rhodizonate  of  potassa,  and  which  then  again  sepa- 
rates into  carbonate  and  croconate  of  potassa.  Many  similar  formations  of 
organic  compounds  out  of  inorganic  material  are  known. 
As  has  been  repeatedly  shown,  the  individual  elements  in  the  organic 
compounds  are  not  united  with  each  other  in  accordance  with  their  original 
affinities,  and  the  combinations  owe  their  greater  or  less  permanency  to  the 
greater  or  less  chemical  opposition  which  the  organic  radicals  present  to  the 
materials  combined  with  them.  If  this  opposition  be  considerable — that  is, 
if  affinity  of  the  radical  to  the  materials  combined  with  it  is  slight,  and 
compounds  of  distinguished  chemical  character  may  arise  by  the  transposi- 
tion of  the  individual  atoms  of  the  radical,  then  a  great  tendency  to  decom- 
position is  present,  and  inconsiderable  outward  circumstances  are  sufficient 
to  cause  it.  This  inclination  to  the  formation  of  compounds  with  marked 
characters,  often  overpowers  the  greatest  affinities,  as  is  the  case  in  the 
forming  of  organic  combinations  from  carbonic  acid  and  water  by  the  vital 
functions  of  plants. 
If  the  individual  atoms  of  compound  molecules  unite  in  other  proportions 
to  form  new  radicals  and  combinations,  in  which  the  individual  components 
present  mutually  a  greater  chemical  opposition,  then  the  formation  of  these 
radicals  and  compounds  results  from  transposition.  If  in  the  new  com- 
pounds twice  the  number  of  elementary  atoms  occur  as  in  the  original, 
polymeric  or  metametic  bodies  are  formed  with  them.  Thus  aldehyd 
CiH+Oi  changes  into  metaldehyd  CisHisOs,  bitter  almond  oil  CuHcOa  into 
