North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1866-02-14
THE CIRCUIT OF CARBON THROUGH
ANIMAL AND VEGETABLE LILLE.

Among those operations of nature which
may 90 contemplated from new points of
view with ever-renewcd interest, in the cir
cult which carbon is erpeually running
through animal and vegetable organisns.
Upon the continuance of this circuit de-
pends the existence of all life upon our
globe If it were suspended, all animals
would cease to breathe, and all vegetables
to grow; the sea would become lifeless
waste of waters, and the earth an uninhab-
tied desert, with no leaf or flower, or liv-
ing thing upon its plains or mountains.
Here is piece of charcoal that was ve-
ry recently an essential portion of grow
ing oak tree. If we set it on fire and ex-
pose it to currant OF air, its color chang
es from black to red, and it slowly vanishes
from our sight-vanishes, not by some
trick of legerdemain, but by actually be-
coming invisible The miracle would ex-
cite onr wonder but for the fact that we
have seen it performed so many times be-
fore. ... ..
To the imperfect observation of the un-
aided senses, it seems plain that the char
coal is annihi.ated; bnt the power OF mod
ern science can follow in its invisible flight
and can ascertain positively that every
ounce end grain of its substance Is still IN
existence, and that it weighs precisely as
much now as it did when in solid mass,
before undergoing its miraculous transtor-
nation.
The simple explanation Of the disap
pearance is that the charcoal in burning
combined with the oxygen OF the atmos
phere-that tie two elements, TINS com
bined, constitute carbonic acid-and that
carbonic acid at ordinary temperatures is
colorlcsS Gas. The charcoal in its combi
nation with oxygen has been changed from
the solid to the gaseous state, and has, by
this change, become transparent and invis-
ibIe.
The same combination of carbon and OK
ygen is always going on in the interior of
our bodies, given quantity OF carbon gen
eratng in this case, the same amount of
heat-though not of the same intensity
as when charcoal is burned in fire. 1t is
in this way that the body is kept warm, and
the vital functions are Kept in operation
The lungs are made up of numerous min
nte sells of extremely thin membrane, on
one side of which delicate blood vessels
are distributed, while the air comes in con-
tact with the other side. This membrane
has the property of obsorbing oxygen from
the air, and of passing it through by en-
dosmosiS into the blood. The blood, thus
supplied with oxygen, returns to the heart
and is forced through the arteries all
over the system. The digestcd food, being
also poured into the blood, is brought in
contact with the oxygen, when the carbon
of the food combines with oxygen, forming
carbonic acid, and generating heat. On
the return Of the blood to the lungs, the
carbonic acid passes outward through the
membrane by exosmosis, and is expelled
through the nostrls into the atmosphere.
This carbonic acid floats in the atmosphere
until it comes in contact with growing
leaf, when it is instantly absorbed, and un-
der the combined actien of light and veg
etable life is decomposed, the carbon is
carried inward to help build up the struc-
ture of the plant, or to aid in the formation
of fruit and grain, to be again used fer food.
while the oxygen is set free in the atmos-
phere to be again breathed by some animal,
again combined with carbon to keep up the
slow fire of animal life, and again restored
to the atmosphere. '..E
Thus carbon runs its perpetual circuit
from the animal to the vegetable world,
and from the vegetable back to the animal
up, in its course, both forms of
organic life.-Scientifc american.