Morning journal and courier., 1892-01-27

uTe the amount. and prove how enormous it is. The question Of the electrical origin of heat is also considered by Helmholtz, | with the conclusion that "the heal evolved in galysnic circuit is sn immediate effect. not of the chemical action, but of the gal | vanic current"-a fact which requir.-s us | to see that animal heat and animal euer- gy, are due to electrical stir, not 10 the chemistry of the living systern- The prin- ciple of faradsy then, that "the forces termed chemical affinity and electricity are one and the same, " and that 'every unit of affinity of every atom Is charged always with one equivalent, either of positive or of negative electricity" means simply this, that electricity is the cause of ch-mi- cal action, also of heat Sir Henry Ros- COG, on behalf of the Chemical smciety ac- cepted HelmholtZ's exposition and application of FarAday's teach ing. as giving them the demonstrated doc urine ''that the atom of every chemical element Is always united with a definite unvarying quantity of electricity" and ''that this definite amount of electricity attached to each atom stands in close con nection with the combining power of the atom which modern chemistry terms ouAn- tivalence-" But so little the signi6- canoe "f Farad1y's facts. resSserted in a clearer light by Helpr', ,Oliz, comprehended by Sir Henry Roscoe that he found the end of the matter in ga new and unlocked for confirmation" of ouantiys- lencel And to this day that has been the end of the matter. Even Helmholtz him self took no notice of Faraday's special conception of the importance of oIye-n. The obvious function of oxygen as 6 sup por.er of combustion. and of respiration, did not lead even Fzraday to reflect thst The sr-cret of fhis function rnnss h..
 cal Dr. w. B. Richardson, an English physiologist, has conducted erperi- ments showing that "pure oxygen becomes devitaliz-d by repeated inhalatiOns," that ''in breathing the oxygen mad undergone some change unknown to the chemist, :" and that ''if the oxygen be electrically charged it is revitalized and will again support life"
 Faraday's declaration was, that 'Ethere is an immensity of facts which justify us in believing that the atoms of matter are in some way endowed or associated with electrical powers, to which they owe their most striking qualities" land it is probable that every effect depending upon the powers of inorganic matter, and perhaps most of those relating to v-geta- ble and animal life, will ultimately be found subordinate to electricity" And again Faraday said: ''If you look to cleo tricity, it, in the hands of the careful i'm ve-tigstor, has advanced to the most ex- rraordinary resultr; it approaches at the motion of his hand; bursts from the metal: d-scends from the atmosphere; surrounds the globe; it talks, it writes, il records; it appears to him, cautious as he has learned to become, as universal spirit in nature. Not only ey- cry substance, but almos. every mode of dealing with & substance. mAnifests its presence. It is not accidental at these times, but active, and essentially so; and in this we see, probably, the force which is destined to give all that vivAciiy and mutual activity to particles which it them. as far as matter alone is concerned, for their wonderful office in the pnennmena of nature, and enables them to bring forth the ever-varying and astonishing changes which earth, air, fire and water present to us, from the motion of the dust in the whirlwind up to the high est conditions of life. What its great purpose is seems to be looming in the distance before us; the clouds which obscr-~ onr mental sight are daily thin uing, and cannot dUnbt thst A glorious discovery is awaiting our age"
 That discovery can only be the part played by the electrical charge of the OK ygen of combustion an uf respiration in causing fire, light and life.
 EDWARD c. TowxE-