Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1870-06-25
Chemistry.
from the National.1

from The National.1
Chemistry is a science, which treats of
the intimate nature of bodies, and their
mutual action on each other. There is no
study that comes SO perfectly home to
every human being, whether inventor or
mechanic, farmer or housewife, as chemis-
try. Many valuable invention is based
on chemistry, and very slight knowledge
of thc science enables the farmer to as.
certain in moment whether his soil con.
tains an excess or deficiency Of lime. If a
deficiency, that slight knowledge teaches
him to add to it, either pure lime, or bone,
or shells, or a multitude Of articles con-
tanning it. So Of other qualities of his
soil-chemical analysis alone can show
him how to add what is wanting, or lessen
what is in excess.
When the housewife knows why the
yeast or the soda and cream tartar cause
her dough to rise, she gives us better
bread. She can make better soap, if she
knows the principle OH which the oil and
the alkali unite to form it. The tanner
and cloth dresser are both governed pure
ly by chemical principles in their opera
tions. Long since, the proprietor of a
wooden factory told the writer that he had
cleared fifty cents on every yard of broad
cloth, since his foreman in the dying dc.
partmcnt had studied chemistry. This
had come from the economy in the use of
dyes, aud from the improved finish Of the
cloth.
q. But of all men, the physician most
needs knowledge of chemistry. Standing
by the side of one poisoned by arsenic, or
corrosive sublmatc, he can, if he knows
the antidoto in time, save his patient.
The same is true, generally Of the vegcta-
bic poisons. The science shows how they
may be countcractc1.
But in the preparation and ad,ninistra-
ton Of all his medicines, the physicians
should know what remedies are incompat.
iblc with others, and this he cannot, with
out knowing their mutual action on each
other.
We were once called to visit patient
of another physician, who had by mistake
taken tablespoonful Of sugar Of lead
(acetate of lead The doctor was prcpar.
ing to give castor-oil, but was persuaded
to exchange it for Epson salts, (sulphatc
of magnesia.) The sulphuric acid left
the megnesa aud united with the lead,
forming sulphatc of lead, harmless ar
ticle. The patient had no further trouble.
At an other time the writer was called to
an alarming case of hemorrhagc, when the
sufferer was using Dover's powder, made
of opium, sulphate Of potash, etc., com
bned with acetate Of lead, thus rendering
it inert. On throwing aside the Sulph,
the lead cured the hcmorrhagc. On such
small, pivots hang great results.
Practically considered, chemistry is a
recent science Until the opening of the
present century, it was scarcely taught,
and little known on this continent. Now
the steam engine is every where. The
steamboat and the rail car cover the wa
ters and the land. The drummOnd light
begins to illuminate our cities. All these
have sprung from chemistry-and where
the end will be no one knows.
The colleges, aud somo higher acadc.
mics, teach chemistry, why should not the
common school? The masses acquire
knowledge in them, and always will. In
stead of spending SO much time on algebra
and geometry, for which not one in hun
drcd has practical use, let us wisely teach
in all our schools, something about the air
VIC breathe, the food we eat, and the water
we drink.