, 1874-02-08
LITERATURE.


THE NEW CHEMISTRY. By JOSIAH I. coozr, JR-,r
Professor of Chemistry in Harvard UhVerslty.
New York D. Appleton l. Co.
So g-cat revolution has taken place IN the
science Of Chemistry, almost within the present
generation, that men deem themselves justified
in speaking Of it in its present condition as the
"Now Chemistry" ;" Az in Botany tho natural
system has displaced the artificial system OF
Linnrus, so the modern theory OF atoms aud
molecules seems fair to place the scienco OF
Chemistry upon suror foundation than it has
hitherto occupied, and, through nomenclature
at once simple and natural, to replace the tenn
porary cxpedcnts for representing the action Of
tho various elements upon each other. Tho
work of Prof. Cooke is devoted to . presentation
of the recent discoveries regarding the ultimate
composition OF matter, the neans used to de-
termine the size weight and arrangement Of the
molecules and atoms, aud tho laws which govern
their action. The results Of vast number OF
experiments, tho principles which thoy are con-
sidered to have proved, and the further theories
they already indicate IS probable, are condensed
into popular. aud interesting account, with
much less Of teclnicality than would be deemed
possible, aud fully within the power Of the in
telligent though uon-sccntilc, roader to-
compreheud Lest the infinite Gttlcness
Of the objects with which he deals
eoIuld seem to carry with them tho p1ejudlce
that our efforts to reduce them to the domain Of
fact should be thought dream OF tho fancy, he
observes that, at the other extreme, wo have the
science Of Astronomy. which measures enormous
distances, and determines facts Of weight aud
magnitude which are no less removed from the
ordinary comprehension than these Invisible
and--save through experiment and reason-lI-
"p ! esh;o ;,,c,, ~ xroter c,,onoed tn steam ex-
k ~ n~. .,,h;. Frnt Tr6 eunnoa;tjonu ara
taas;h,a tauGah " ~ sono,,,+ ~ 4h;s ne That tho
puneto;o 10 W o,o1S, S;fTnso1 +,;nncd ~ # ware
thronrl, t7,ia snare smother. that il consists Of
''.po. ~ 5affr;to 1orfic,aa ,yj,;cl, tho
a,r,1;aa. .;a- ~ 3oat sanurates to rreater dis
,a. fr-,11 40 cr othcr Submitted fn the Test o7
e~nov;ment liz inttor seomg the only possible
exnIanation. The fect Of irtersticoB in solids
~ . booTn IT t;gh} throucl, raps. Curious and
3a1;aota axeor;9,a,ta mo-, sn,n.bph1,loa reveal
~ Faa. ti,at fr,;t ;a reschei; l,evon, whcl, CO.
ao;a,, - ;,nnoss;Ilc mi this limit ia the thick
nooa so'a, - aI 1,,oia.u1a ,r1,c1, ronohly csti-
ir, - ~ 1 s,,oar 1nav ha divided in n mortar to
1ar.;l,,os - .tmo ~ - -,;,,tencss still further
pai 1tGtea " ;;,;e;o+, ia roaonnt1
~ aiseo.saus - ,sa~a ,oaobon;c,1 1iv;sou
b{{ ~ e.,a1;+;es ~ e+;1, nTnsarvnd and N,
ouS sau -. 4uat1ss ~ ta. :. 10 Fst1 angar Hnnco
~" p aof,t;n, ~ o,niecnin the snnN
aat a.o ,,a,;s ~ s1Sncc IN 7o1;c iis 0ut;ey
;n1e,e T.; @ 'i R,f i'v chemical means this sugar can
he a.ea Tes,1vea 1nto charcoal and water, and the
,rotnr nto oxv,ron mud hydrogen. Still further.
Nasot 4uso 49, n.i,or eIano1t,rv snhstancca
osei 1;..:9o5 49, 49,. t1ro ~ 7noro oto,na aud
G.'' Gaa,' I1 ~ an atorS n hv,irorcn we hayo the
aiis,t ~ eaga a. - mattar Flown tn scicnco.
- ~ ahut sra col1octons of molecules
,n1 n tI,oso molecules their Qualities inLere.
What is true Of tho substance Is ttuo o. the
moocnie. Ihe mo4ecuie Is an ase:easo - a.on.',
sometimes OF atoms OF INC sAtne h1nu, 10 II
elementary substances; sometimes OF atoms Of
different kinds. as in compound substances.
Tile molecules are destructible, while the atoms
are lnucstrnehnle; ana cncnsal e1lfo R e9Hs'soe i 90
i arrnnoencnt 1nv Of former ones Such, then, aro
our Conceptions Of tho constitution of sub
stances"
10 most persons, the terms atom anu
mo!ecnlo arc sYuouslnou7 fetrI III hn "a, a.
~ iuS ~ ',;.a,, o errcnoous ia ts
conception c and, furthermore, a clear ilea viii
be obtained as to their relation. The bearing of
these discoveries on tue nomenclature OF Chem
i3tfv lB discussed, and IQe Teabjn6 blFou 1uI tne