Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-01-31

the agency ofhe and carbonic acid of the atmo
sphere in dsomposng rocks forming Soils and remould
ing the suyoe Of the globe He referred to experiments
made by himself and Prof Ro e. Rogers, with great
yariety minerals and rocky Masses proving the solvent
actogof water mbued with carbonic acid upon the
hards GRANTEES and other mineral materials He then
treed of the various from which the atmosphere
scontinualy supplied with carbonic acid the chief Of
hsh volcanoes, mineral and thermal springs COM
buston the respiration Of animals and the slow decay Of
organic substances After eruption of yesuvus an
volume this gas oveows the pours
in a deep tide down the sides of the mountain.
The ammonia Of the atmosphere referred to.
The properties of this gas shown by experiments
and especial stress laid upon the fact Of its large
sorpton by water and by charcoal and all earthly bodies
this fact having very important bearing upon the nu
triton of plants.
The subject Of combustion treated and the re-
cproca nature OF what called supporters and com
bustbles proved by experiment in which jet of
atmospheric air burnt in hydrogen gas and at the
same time jet Of hydrogen gas burnt in atmo-
spherc air The generation Of carbonic by ordinary COM
buston in the air then shown by conducting the gas
formed around burning taper through chemical solu-
ton which promptly indicated the presence of carbonc
acid
The geological relations of combustion were then con-
sdered and it shown that the earhs is in
atty cinder resulting from the combustion of the metal
lie bodies of which the earth is largely composed the
oxygen of former atmosphere and that the present air
is but the residuum left by this combustion.
Prof. X. next explained, by drawings and apparatus,
the approved method of separating the different in
gradients of the atmosphere to determine the exact
quantity of each the oxygen being absorbed by heated
connar -,,tpnurIv acid, the oarbonic by
potash and the ammonia by muraic acid each of these
Ingredients beng Filtered from M a.
its appropriate absorbent.
In the concluding part Of the lecture Prof R. entered on
the treatment of the vital phases Of the atmosphere After
referring to the greatlaw that all organic org
nate either directly Indirectly in cell growth and Illus
trating the development Of cells by various examples
drawn from the vegetable and animal kingdoms showed
that in the humbest forms of life the distinction between
vegetable and animal almost entirely nappreciabe
the province of nature shading mpercepby into the
other, and both having ground in the
simplest conditions of cell life Even the property of
spontaneous motion described belonging to the
germ-ces spores of many plants which had thus been
long COMPOUNDED with minute animals.
1t was however, argued that Notwithstanding this
seeming identity of structure in the CELL it must be sub
ect endless varieties that the growth and
development of organic fabrics originating in cells al
most infinitely various The cell which, by successive
buildings gives rise to the vest plant the still simpler
cegrowth Of the fungus which forms the so-caled red
snow and the germce of the highest form of animal
organization, each displays apecuar law of Development
and the is true of every species of living thing,
whether plant animal We must therefore infer that
the cells, in their earliest form, endowed with
forces peculiar to each Species and that this difference is
accompanied by differences Of structure which, however,
the microscope has hitherto failed to discover While for
the present the cell is to be regarded the last result of
our of examination AS with the telescope with
the microscope there remain many nebu to be resolved
and the time viii when other and simpler struc
ture viii perhaps be regarded the basis Of all living
fabrics.
In entering upon the fourth lecture Prof r. called at
tenon to various tables representing the composition Of
the principal organic substances, and pointed out the
identity of their ingredients with those of the atmosphere
He then described the process of nutrition and develop
ment in plants showing that in many the plant de-
rves all its nurment directly from the air, and is in
debted to the soil only for mechanical support and for
minute amount of earthly matter taken up by the roots
Thus the palm oil is the product of plant which grows in
pure sceous sand and yet the amount of this exported
to Great Britain in few years from Western Africa
nearly two hundred millions of pounds Animals have no
power but merely appropriate these matters already
organized, modifying organizing them The pro-
of respiration then described and its connection
with animal heat explained The burning of carbon and
hydrogen in the system, and the formation Of carbonic
acid and water then shown to be continually at
tendant animal life, and to be in degree
of the energy of the vital forces The living system
described being in of its aspects furnace in
which there continual combustion and continual
newal The products of the combustion being in large
degree carried off in respiration and the replacing matter
conveyed into the system by nutrition The living econo-
my, thus presenting continual change Of component par
tces with permanence of form and function kened
the passing vapor temporarily condensed has the appear
ance of stability while its parts rushing rapidly for
ward.
Comparisons were then made between the mechanical
power evolved by the burning of given amount of
bon to steam and of the amount of carbon
in the respiration of and Of horse steadily
tanned in his ordinary work and it shown that far
greater mechanical effect is secured by the expenditure Of
given Of fuel in the animal machine than in the
most perfect form of human mechanism The elements of
the atmosphere thus in its vital phases forming
parts of the fluids and solids of the living structure but
only for brief time continuing in this shape Soon, by
the very activity which results from their organization
they returned the air either directly by exhaation
and respiration indirectly through decay and their
conversion into SOIL and this itself but intermediate
and returning stage in the transformations Of the atmo
sphere.
urday, and among them twenty three steamships