Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-09-24
TO THE EDITORS.
ALEXANDRIA BoARDIEa SCHOOL,
NINTH MONTH y, 1853.

ESTEEMED FnIEEDs have no feeling in sympathy
with newspaper discussion but the communication Of
David Stewart in the Integencer of to-day to de-
mand few remarks from me in reply. As will be seen
by reference the quotation he makes from my Address,
use such expression as that which he contradcts
do not say the carbon is condensed but that 1t Is the
chemical condensation resulting from the union of carbon
with oxygen in the formation of carbonic acid, which is
the principal source Of animal heat DIR. Hare very
recy and orciby remarks in substance that we have
the evidence for the existence of attraction and re-
puson between the particles of matter that have for
the existence Of matter that is the evidence Of our
senses Opposite qualities cannot belong to the same
particles. As therefore, there atoms in which at
traction is inherent ponderable atoms there are atoms
in which rpulsioa is inherent" calorifc atoms. Every
ponderable atom Of matter, whether this matter exist in
solid, liquid, mrorm state, is surrounded by what
may be termed atmosphere of caoric and the position
Of the ponderabe particles constituting any body is the
point of equilibrium where the repeng influence of these
caorfc amospheres just balances the attraction between
the particles themselves nearer when the atmospheres
smaller the body cooler further apart when the
atmospheres dense the body warmer. More
over whenever mechanical means used in aid Of the
inherent attraction to bring the atoms Closer in the
hammering rolling of iron, the compression Of
mospheric air any Of the gases portion Of these
orifc atmosphere is pressed Out and thus renders the
temperature Of the body greater by increasing the guam
tity Of free heat This is mechanical condensation, and
is always necessarily attended with dmautioa Of bulb
1t is to this kind of condensation your correspondent has
reference when he says cit is the oxygen that is
densed and not the carbon referred in my discourse
to entirely different phenomenon to chemical condensa-
ton. When the affinity between combining atoms as
those of carbon and oxygen becomes by any what
sufficiently intense to them to combine and
form compound atom, the force Of this affinity draws
the combining atoms close, chemically eondaSes Me
as to iberae portion of the caorfc atmospheres and
cause an elevation of temperature Hence the stronger
the affinity between the closer will be their prox
unity, and, is well known, the greater will be the
of liberated caorc This is the condensation to
which referred in my DISCOURSE and is the only
will explain the Of heat in various chemical changes
Let your correspondent attempt to explain the prn
cpes of condensation implied in his remark the pheno
attending the formation Of hydrogen gas by the
ton of dilute sulphurc acid graduated zinc, the
generation of carbonc acid gas by uphurc acid and
Donate olme where SO far from there being condensation
in his acceptaton of the term there vast enlargement
Of bih and at the time the materials become
tensely hot and am willing to- leave it to himself to
decide which Of us has made :" some ad captandum re-
marks"
In regard to what David Stewart says in opposition to
the carbonic acid being formed the lungs, |
of the different views entertained by Psychologists and
chemists the subject. There facts which would
be glad to state it for extending this commune
cation far that lead y mind to unite in opinion
this point with DR.. Black and DR.. Crawford Whether
this is the true theory not however, the argument
your correspondent brings against it, viz that in the
supposed there would be that equality which is OBJ
served between the temperature Of the lungs and blood
of the chest and the rest Of the body long since
shown to be wholly untenable by Dr. Crawford, whose
I L..a..
been essentially sustained by Of the most eminent
chemists and Psychologists.
DR.. Crawfords explanation was that the capacity of
arcral blood for heat greater than that of
blood and that therefore il requires less absolute heat
to maintain blood at the temperature Con-
sequenty the arteria blood circulates the sys
tem and becomes gradually converted into blood
the elimination in the capacity Of the blood for heat
pace with its impartng heat the system and in this
way is preserved the equality in temperature between
the blood of the lungs and Of the rest Of the body But
this is a subject upon which much hes been and mucl
nay be written without probably owing the nscruta
bic notifications continually exered by that mysteriou:
AGENT the vital principle, arriving at absolute
tanty. refer to it only to vindicate myself from the
implied charge of your correspondent that had made
the remark without due reflection.
Your correspondent although signing his simply
David Stewart take to be Dr. Stewart, practical chem
st of Baltimore, who makes it part Of his business to
anayze soils With this understanding Of the after
stating that when said in my address the analysis Of
Soils usually conducted wholly useless for prac
teal purposes" expressing reeonsidered sent
meat refer him the unanswerable remarks of Prof
Booth this subject published in the Integencer Of
the Goth Of August.
That an experienced chemist and geoogist, like the
eminent Dr. Charles I. Jackson, of Boston, who made
geological survey Of the State of New Hampshire and
probably Of Rhode Island also, went personally the
farms, examined the consistency Of the materials the
character and composition OF the rocks, the subsol and
underlying BEDS and besides making rigid analysis Of
the SOIL examined minutey all the circumstances calcu
lated to influence its fertility, could render great service
agricultural district by suggesting methods for the
Improvement of land, have doubt whatever. With
such efforts these have controversy All desire
is that for the sake of the farmer chemical qudckoy
the subject may be discarded.
BENJAMIN HALL0WELL.
ORDINATION or A LADY PAsroR.-Rey Miss ANToISErTE