, 1864-11-30
THE ATMOSPHERE.
Its Relations 10 4nlma1 aud Vegetable Life
Interesting Lecture by Prof.. E. S. Carr.

The frst Of winter series Of lectures for the
benefit Of the North Rapdst Church, was delivered
Moudny evening in Metropolitan Hall By Prof E.
S. Carr, II. D., Of RuAh Medical College. The
subject chosen was 1.-THE Atmosphere, in its rels-
lations to Animal and Vegetable Lie" The ut
tendance was but limited, owing to the bad wealth
er. but financially 1t WIS success. more than six
opening Of the door,
The lecturer was introduced to the audience by
Rev. a. 4. kendrlck, Pastor of the Church.
Professor Carr eaid TINT tht subject Of discourse
would be ''What we BREATH to the end that We
mny attain to that power over the earth which it
was designed y the Creator man should exercise.
AIT WIS one ot the elements Of the ancient phi
losophere, bnt modern science has shown that It is
composed Ct . great variety Of substances, each
Sn Sne Of which has il own peculiar function, aoms
being more particularly useful to the animal
economy and some to the vegetable.
1n IA Pr. Prieetly recognized the existence of
IN a. element @ called oxygen This constitutes about
o1e-nith Of the atmosphere. nitrogen making the
other but there ia present also tie va
poI of water and carbonicaeid gas. 1.-THE lecturer
dnce6 ar 81 in9 Which he .9tfo
gen is the prime supporter Of combnshon:1 Com
bnEnon consists simply in the union Of oxygen
sash difpostton to antte viii otacr Substances,
and II may be made to unite with almost every
other element. 1.-THE lecturer Introduced piece
Paes Il Ls no the, the s Rhes
produced during combustion is yery nearly in e1-
act milo to the quantity Of oxygen entering into
tne combination, and the only reason why ordtna-
rf1y combusthlc bodies do not burn 60 rapidly as
n ncsc experiments Is On account OF the presence
q nitrogen which does not bum IThe lecturer
aaaodncsd a1t piece Of phosphorus on the end OF 4
sIcl ssiscl ROD, which, becoming heated, burned rap
1ut9. and formed n new substance chilled oxide
q lon.j For the ordinary purposes Of co,ubrs-
u9n Ne 90 not burn phosphorus Or iron but other
sfupstances, saeh as coal OF wood, which consist
oi sai9ah he product being corbonic acid.
1t was impossible to sustain combnstinn xithnnt
oxygen, aud II We exhaust The owen rom cixcn
portion Of a1r, the hame cannot be sustsinrd' i1Ic
illustrated By placing lighted candle nndcr of,os
jar: It WIS cIungutHhed Ia few second. sIVo
were all familiar With the fact that dra!t was ne
ceseary TO the continuance OF firc aud thu 49,
change Of air giving q continuous supply Of osy-
ow under It md ont at the top burnt btes n ~,
without the jar. because the vessel caused firSff
Eour-l5the u{ the atmosphere waa nitro1cn . a.
Of which the lecturer exhibited; ii extinsuishca =
lighted taper when thrust Into it
These Two gases then were totally different In
their uaturct. When the active, energetic oxy
gen was mixed with four times the quantity Of tie
Nitrogen is not poisonous, tits simply nsEauvc IN
It's character. OF these rwo are atmospheric .Ir
composed, with slight addition. So IN As oxy-
gen is concerned 1t ie the principal thing We
have to deal with, forming Just about onehalf Of
all that x gee; eycn the solid marble or earth Is
one-hn1f oxygen. combined, indeed. not In . iFss
and 1our, nlths Of oil vegetable substances. TAX.
ing them all IN the aggregate, We have from one
half 10 two-thlrdB OF the whole visible uriverse is
| oxygvn. Having its properties exhibited It is
easy 70 sec that water may support combustion
under appropriate Circumstances. 1.-THE lecturer