New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1842-08-19

--awaitng our leisure for more thorough exam
;,aton than we are likely soon to find time give
!. So far as cursory perusal may qualify US to
udse we are inclined to believe it one of the most
,,,fouud ard valuable scientific works Of the pro-
.sn, day. l. differs from nearly all of them in it's
.lose search after the causes of the phenomenon
elected by scientific experiment. The author does
not r:st satisfied in mere facts as they are found to
eyst--but seeks through them for the motive, life
irving principle, to which they owe their reality.
Much of the wor,hlessness, and more perhaps of
the popularity, Of the professedly scientific essays,
lectures, &C. of the present day are owing to this
| t.a,ure-that they present barely taets-curious
/ aud wonderful in themselves, and perhaps Of SER
,jce in the business Of lfe but of no worth what
ever with reference to scientific insight. 1t may
he we'll to throw the leading and most striking
truths Of astronomy, Of electricity, CT chemistry,
and other branches of science, into popular form:
70 intersperse and render them interesting by an-
eedotc and fanciful flights lit is indeed sign of
| promise when such topics, even thus adorned, can
be rendered fashionable, and made to replace, TO
some extent, more frivolous and hurtful methods
nj
pleased-their curiosity is gratifed-their wonder
aroused and their vanity attered by the fact that
hcy are presumed to understand such mysterious
abiects. But they really knov no more Of them
thnn they did before: boy kasors nothing OF &C.
ane,ry by learning its theorems, or of astronomy
by gazing, in wonder, through telescope at the
moon and stars. 1t is the LAWS by which the
universe is governed which are the object of SCI
ence and all observation and experiment are only
means to arrive at these.
There appears to be nothing of this superficial
spirit in DR.. LIEBla's work He rests not in facts
but merits the applause Of the Romen poet
,Felir coruoscerc cAvsas.' He goes upon the
principle that every physical investigations to be
worth notice, must enable us to draw some con-
clasion He seeks in this work, by chemical
analysis to throw light upon the vital processes in
vegetables and animals, AID thus TO apply Chcmis-
tryto Physiology and Pathology. The aim is
worthy scientific mind: and, so far as we can
Judge it has been noby reached. Of course we
have not room, nor is this quite the place. to make
any extended summary Of the work: but the fol
loving are among the definite conclusions ne has
reached =
|. The rital .torce-or principle of animal life
and motion is different in its nature from every
other cause of change; and has for its first condi-
ton the assimilation of nourishment, and for its
second the absorption of oxygen from the atmos-
phere. All vital activity arises from the mutual
action Of oxygen and food. Different conditions of
the one involve corresponding changes of the oher
fin rest heat or any other condition we lnhale
les. oxysen-we must eat proporionsbly less food
land pice serss
9. The mutual action of the carbon and hydro
gen of the food and the oxygen of the cir is the
source Of animal heat,-which thus owes its being
directly to chemical action.
g. The increase of mass in the animal body, the
deyeopement Of its organs and the supply OF waste
are ell dependent on the blood; and those sub
stances only, therefore, arc nutritious which may
be converted as food into blood.
4. The vital force in the animal body is the
cause of growth in the mass, of motion and change
in form and substance of chemical changes In the
fsod and depends for its manifestations upon GER
tain conditions of temperature, &c. II may be
regarded as peculiar property of certain material
bodies, becoming sensible when their elementary
particles arc combined in certain form.
S. The cause of waste Of matter in the human
body is the chemical action of oxygen-which oc-
ours when this action is stronger than the resist
ance opposed to it by the vital force
s. Health includes the equilibrium of forces
Disease occurs when the sum of the vital force IS
weaker than the cause of disturbance. Death Is
that condition ia which all resistance on the part
of the vital force ceases.
These are some of the points urged and illustra-
ted in this work; many others are brought forward
to which we have net room even to refer. The
views advanced are strikingly original and pro-
found and discussed with strength and in pecu-
lary terse and transparent style As TO the sound
ness Of the authors positions we are not sc'enthc
enough to Judge; some of them have undergone
severe cr,icism-,hoss relating to the laws of veg
c,able life especially by writer in the Boston
Courier. Whether they be we'll or I'll founded
the book will repay, by the excellence OF ITS
method-,he distinct scientific results at which 1t
aims, the importance of the topics discussed and
the general oandor learning and ability OF its DIS
tinguishsd author the close and careful study OF
every student.
Ds We have received from Dayton g. Newman
little work on the Present Collegiate System in
the United States, by Rev. DR.. WAYLAsD. We
shall notice it more a, length as soon as we can
find room I, contains many valuable hints with
regard to intellectual improvement and to our sys-
TEN Of higher schools
DuELLlSe.-Thc grand jury Of New Orleans, IN
their presentmen,, regret that the laws of the
State against auellns are so severe that they de-
Co., H.. -, ,t 81, ,y,;ninp