Chapter XVII: Preface (16)

_Silk_ is a peculiar secretion of the silk-worm, with which it builds its nest or cocoon. This insect was originally brought to Europe from China. Silk, in its chemical nature, is very similar to the hair and wool of animals; whilst in the insect it is a fluid, which is coagulated, apparently by uniting with oxygen, as soon as it comes in contact with the air. The moth of the silk-worm ejects a liquor which appears to contain a particular acid, called _bombic_, the properties of which are but very little known.

EMILY.

Before we conclude the subject of the animal economy, shall we not learn by what steps dead animals return to their elementary state?

MRS. B.

Animal matter, although the most complicated of all natural substances, returns to its elementary state by one single spontaneous process, the _putrid fermentation_. By this, the albumen, fibrine, &c. are slowly reduced to the state of oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, and carbon; and thus the circle of changes through which these principles have passed is finally completed. They first quitted their elementary form, or their combination with unorganised matter, to enter into the vegetable system. Hence they were transmitted to the animal kingdom; and from this they return, again to their primitive simplicity, soon to re-enter the sphere of organised existence.

When all the circumstances necessary to produce fermentation do not take place, animal, like vegetable matter, is liable to a partial or imperfect decomposition, which converts it into a combustible substance very like spermaceti. I dare say that Caroline, who is so fond of analogies, will consider this as a kind of animal bitumen.

CAROLINE.

And why should I not, since the processes which produce these substances are so similar?

MRS. B.

There is, however, one considerable difference; the state of bitumen seems permanent, whilst that of animal substances, thus imperfectly decomposed, is only transient; and unless precautions be taken to preserve them in that state, a total dissolution infallibly ensues. This circumstance, of the occasional conversion of animal matter into a kind of spermaceti, is of late discovery. A manufacture has in consequence been established near Bristol, in which, by exposing the carcases of horses and other animals for a length of time under water, the muscular parts are converted into this spermaceti-like substance. The bones afterwards undergo a different process to produce hartshorn, or, more properly, ammonia, and phosphorus; and the skin is prepared for leather.

Thus art contrives to enlarge the sphere of useful purposes, for which the elements were intended by nature; and the productions of the several kingdoms are frequently arrested in their course, and variously modified, by human skill, which compels them to contribute, under new forms, to the necessities or luxuries of man.

But all that we enjoy, whether produced by the spontaneous operations of nature, or the ingenious efforts of art, proceed alike from the goodness of Providence. --To GOD alone man owes the admirable faculties which enable him to improve and modify the productions of nature, no less than those productions themselves. In contemplating the works of the creation, or studying the inventions of art, let us, therefore, never forget the Divine Source from which they proceed; and thus every acquisition of knowledge will prove a lesson of piety and virtue.

INDEX.

A

Absorbent vessels, ii. 304
Absorption of caloric, i. 59. 66
Acetic acid, ii. 75. 197
Acetous fermentation, ii. 232
---- acid, ii. 193. 232
Acidulous gaseous mineral waters, ii. 129
---- salts, ii. 200
Acids, i. 262. ii. 69
Aeriform, i. 36
Affinity, i. 19. ii. 1
Agate, ii. 51
Agriculture, ii. 252
Air, i. 182. ii. 262
Albumen, ii. 277. 288
Alburnum, ii. 267
Alchemists, i. 4
Alcohol, or spirit of wine, ii. 215. 222
Alembic, i. 258
Alkalies, ii. 19
Alkaline earths, ii. 50. 58
Alloys, i. 344
Alum, or sulphat of alumine, ii. 55. 95
Alumine, ii. 54
Alumium, i. 13
Amalgam, i. 347
Ambergris, ii. 358
Amethyst, ii. 58
Amianthus, ii. 66
Ammonia, or volatile alkali, i. 363. ii. 20. 35
Ammoniacal gas, ii. 36
Ammonium, i. 13
Analysis, i. 287
---- of vegetables, ii. 165
Animals, ii. 276
Animal acids, ii. 75. 290
---- colours, ii. 292
---- heat, ii. 337
---- oil, ii. 178. 283
Animalization, ii. 276. 297. 315
Antidotes, ii. 41. 87
Antimony, i. 14
Aqua fortis, ii. 105
---- regia, i. 340. ii. 144
Arrack, ii. 220
Argand’s Lamp, i. 208
Arsenic, i. 14. 340. 348
Arteries, ii. 304. 323
Arterial blood, ii. 305. 326. 338
Asphaltum, ii. 240
Assafœtida, ii. 188
Assimilation, ii. 298
Astringent principle, ii. 198
Atmosphere, i. 90. 181. ii. 262
Atmospherical air, i. 182
Attraction of aggregation, or cohesion, i. 16. ii. 2
---- of composition, i. 16. ii. 1
Azot, or nitrogen, i. 182, ii. 100
Azotic gas, i. 182

B

Balsams, ii. 165. 188
Balloons, i. 245
Bark, ii. 193. 265
Barytes, ii. 44. 58. 61
Bases of acids, i. 263. ii. 69
---- gases, i. 183
---- salts, ii. 5
Beer, ii. 212. 220
Benzoic acid, ii. 74. 197
Bile, ii. 308
Birds, ii. 347
Bismuth, i. 14
Bitumens, ii. 239
Black lead, or plumbago, i. 304
Bleaching, i. 32. ii. 89. 140.
Blow-pipe, i. 324. ii. 226
Blood, ii. 306. 317
Blood-vessels, ii. 298
Boiling water, i. 93
Bombic acid, ii. 75. 290
Bones, ii. 298, 299
Boracic acid, i. 365. ii. 131
Boracium, i. 13. ii. 132
Borat of soda, ii. 133
Brandy, ii. 218
Brass, i. 344
Bread, ii. 233
Bricks, ii. 56
Brittle-metals, i. 14
Bronze, i. 341
Butter, ii. 351
Butter-milk, ii. 352

C

Calcareous earths, ii. 65
---- stones, ii. 123
Calcium, i. 13
Caloric, i. 12. 33
----, absorption of, i. 66
----, conductors of, i. 70
----, combined, i. 122
----, expansive power of i. 35
----, equilibrium of, i. 50
----, reflexion of, i. 54. 67
----, radiation of, i. 52. 61
----, solvent power of, i. 96. 102
----, capacity for, i. 124
Calorimeter, i. 156
Calx, i. 183
Camphor, ii. 165. 185
Camphoric acid, ii. 74. 197
Caoutchouc, ii. 165. 189
Carbonats, ii. 25. 129
Carbonat of ammonia, ii. 41
---- lead, i. 320
---- lime, ii. 59. 130
---- magnesia, ii. 67
---- potash, ii. 25
Carbonated hydrogen gas, i. 302
Carbon, i. 282. ii. 329
Carbonic acid, i. 290. 359. ii. 327
Carburet of iron, i. 304. 342
Carmine, ii. 295
Cartilage, ii. 303
Castor, ii. 359
Cellular membrane, ii. 311
Caustics, i. 349
Chalk, ii. 62. 123
Charcoal, i. 282
Cheese, ii. 356
Chemical attraction, i. 15. ii. 9
Chemistry, i. 3
Chest, ii. 318
China, ii. 54
Chlorine, i. 214
Chrome, i. 14. 340
Chyle, ii. 305. 317
Chyme, ii. 316
Citric acid, ii. 74. 197
Circulation of the blood, ii. 322
Civet, ii. 359
Clay, i. 48. ii. 55
Coke, ii. 241
Coal, ii. 240. 252
Cobalt, i. 14
Cochineal, ii. 295
Cold, i. 50. 58
---- from evaporation, i. 102. 113. 150
Colours of metallic oxyds, i. 319
Columbium, i. 14. 340. 348
Combined caloric, i. 122
Combustion, i. 190
----, volatile products of, i. 207
----, fixed products of, i. 207
----, of alcohol, ii. 225
----, of ammoniacal gas, ii. 42
----, of boracium, ii. 133
----, by oxymuriatic acid or chlorine, ii. 142
----, of carbon, i. 289
----, of coals, i. 207. 297
----, of charcoal by nitric acid, ii. 102
----, of candles, i. 236. 309. ii. 179
----, of diamonds, i. 292
----, of ether, ii. 230
----, of hydrogen, i. 229.
----, of iron, i. 200. 322
----, of metals, i. 321
----, of oils, i. 208. ii. 178. 309
----, of oil of turpentine by nitrous acid, ii. 6
----, of phosphorus, i. 272
----, of sulphur, i. 261
---- of potassium, i. 358. ii. 132. 138, 139
Compound bodies, i. 9. ii. 14
---- or neutral salts i. 333. ii. 4
Conductors of heat, i. 71
----, solids, i. 73
----, fluids, i. 78
----, Count Rumford’s theory, i. 79
Constituent parts, i. 9
Copper, i. 14. 331
Copal, ii. 187. 224
Cortical layers, ii. 265. 267
Cotyledons, or lobes, ii. 256
Cream, ii. 351
Cream of tartar, or tartrit of potash, ii. 200. 222
Cryophorus, i. 154
Crystallisation, i. 338. ii. 47
Cucurbit, i. 258
Culinary heat, i. 88
Curd, ii. 351. 354
Cuticle, or epidermis, ii. 310

D

Decomposition, i. 8. 20
---- of atmospherical air, i. 181. 209
---- of water by the Voltaic battery, i. 220
---- of salts by the Voltaic battery, ii. 14
---- of water by metals, i. 225. 334
---- ---- by carbon, i. 301
---- of vegetables, ii. 202
---- of potash, i. 356
---- of soda, i. 56
---- of ammonia, i. 363. ii. 37
---- of the boracic acid, ii. 132
---- of the fluoric acid, ii. 136
---- of the muriatic acid, ii. 139
Deflagration, ii. 118
Definite proportions, ii. 13
Deliquescence, ii. 95
Detonation, i. 219. ii. 116
Dew, i. 105
Diamond, i. 285
Diaphragm, ii. 320
Digestion, ii. 316
Dissolution of metals, i. 165. 316. 333
Distillation, i. 259. ii. 218
---- of red wine, ii. 218
Divellent forces, ii. 12
Division, i. 7
Drying oils, ii. 181
Dying, ii. 191

E

Earths, ii. 44
Earthen-ware, ii. 53. 57
Effervescence, i. 298
Efflorescence, ii. 94
Elastic fluids, i. 37
Electricity, i. 12. 25. 160. 220. ii. 139
Electric machine, i. 169
Elective attractions, ii. 9
Elementary bodies, i. 8. 12
Elixirs, tinctures, or quintessences, ii. 225
Enamel, ii. 57
Epidermis of vegetables, ii. 269
---- of animals, ii. 310
Epsom salts, ii. 63. 95
Equilibrium of caloric, i. 50
Essences, i. 307. ii. 183. 224
Essential, or volatile oils, i. 307. ii. 183
Ether, i. 111. ii. 229
Evaporation, i. 103
Evergreens, ii. 274
Eudiometer, i. 276
Expansion of caloric, i. 36
Extractive colouring matter, ii. 165. 190

F

Falling stones, i. 319
Fat, i. 306. ii. 311
Feathers, ii. 300
Fecula, ii. 176
Fermentation, ii. 205
Fibrine, ii. 277. 289
Fire, i. 7. 27
Fish, ii. 346
Fixed air, or carbonic acid, i. 290. ii. 125
---- alkalies, ii. 20
---- oils, i. 307. ii. 165. 177
---- products of combustion, i. 207
Flame, i. 237
Flint, ii. 30. 51
Flower or blossom, ii. 271
Fluoric acid, ii. 54. 134
Fluorium, or Fluorine, i. 12. ii. 136
Formic acid, ii. 290
Fossil wood, ii. 242
Frankincense, ii. 187
Free or radiant caloric, or heat of temperature, i. 33
Freezing mixtures, i. 142
---- by evaporation, i. 104. 150, &c.
Frost, i. 94
Fruit, ii. 271
Fuller’s earth, ii. 55
Furnace, i. 304

G

Galls, ii. 199
Gallat of iron, ii. 98
Gallic acid, ii. 74. 197, 198
Galvanism, i. 163
Gas, i. 182
Gas-lights, i. 240
Gaseous oxyd of carbon, i. 296
---- nitrogen, ii. 111
Gastric juice, ii. 316
Gelatine, or jelly, ii. 277. 280
Germination, ii. 256
Gin, ii. 221
Glands, ii. 298. 307
Glass, ii. 30
Glauber’s salts, or sulphat of soda, ii. 92
Glazing, ii. 57
Glucium, i. 13
Glue, ii. 281. 287
Gluten, ii. 165. 177
Gold, i. 14. 323
Gum, ii. 170
---- arabic, ii. 170
---- elastic, or caoutchouc, ii. 189
---- resins, ii. 165. 188
Gunpowder, ii. 116
Gypsum, or plaister of Paris, or sulphat of lime, ii. 95

H

Hair, ii. 300
Harrogate water, i. 268. 341
Hartshorn, ii. 35. 39. 281. 285
Heart, ii. 323
---- wood, ii. 268
Heat, i. 26. 33
---- of capacity, i. 127. 135
---- of temperature, i. 33
Honey, ii. 175
Horns, ii. 282. 300
Hydro-carbonat, i. 241. 303
Hydrogen, i. 214
---- gas, i. 215

I

Jasper, ii. 51
Ice, i. 138
Jelly, ii. 281
Jet, ii. 240
Ignes fatui, i. 277
Ignition, i. 119
Imponderable agents, i. 12
Inflammable air, i. 215
Ink, ii. 98. 199
Insects, ii. 349
Integrant pans, i. 9
Iridium, i. 14
Iron, i. 14. 319. 328
Isinglass, ii. 194. 285
Ivory black, ii. 295
Iodine, i. 214. ii. 157

K

Kali, ii. 34
Koumiss, ii. 356

L

Lac, ii. 358
Lactic acid, ii. 75. 290. 356
Lakes, colours, ii. 190
Latent heat, i. 133
Lavender water, ii. 184. 224
Lead, i. 14. 318. 330
Leather, ii. 193. 287
Leaves, ii. 260
Life, ii. 159. 168
Ligaments, ii. 303
Light, i. 12. 26. ii. 261
Lightning, i. 248
Lime, ii. 59
---- water, ii. 61
Limestone, ii. 60
Linseed oil, ii. 178
Liqueurs, ii. 224
Liver, ii. 308
Lobes, ii. 256. 332
Lunar caustic, or nitrat of silver, i. 350. ii. 119
Lungs, ii. 319. 330
Lymph, ii. 304
Lymphatic vessels, ii. 304

M

Magnesia, ii. 44. 66
Magnium, i. 13
Malic acid, ii. 74. 197
Malt, ii. 211
Malleable metals, i. 14
Manganese, i. 14. 317
Manna, ii. 176
Manure, ii. 247
Marble, ii. 123
Marine acid, or muriatic acid, ii. 136
Mastic, ii. 187. 224
Materials of animals, ii. 277
---- of vegetables, ii. 165
Mercury, i. 14. 346
----, new mode of freezing, i. 155. 347
Metallic acids, i. 340
---- oxyds, i. 316
Metals, i. 12. 314
Meteoric stones, i. 342
Mica, ii. 66
Milk, ii. 299. 306. 350
Minerals, i. 315. ii. 44. 158
Mineral waters, i. 296. ii. 129
---- acids, ii. 73
Miner’s lamp, i. 249
Mixture, i. 99
Molybdena, i. 14. 340
Mordant, ii. 165. 192
Mortar, ii. 53. 65
Mucilage, ii. 170
Mucous acid, ii. 74. 171. 197
---- membrane, ii. 311
Muriatic acid, or marine acid, ii. 136
Muriats, ii. 151
Muriat of ammonia, ii. 35. 152
---- lime, i. 100
---- soda, or common salt, ii. 136. 151
---- potash, ii. 138
Muriatium, i. 13
Muscles of animals, ii. 298. 303
Musk, ii. 359
Myrrh, ii. 188

N.

Naphtha, i. 357. ii. 240
Negative electricity, i. 25. 161. 185
Nerves, ii. 279. 298. 308
Neutral, or compound salts, i. 333. ii. 4. 22. 69
Nickel, i. 13. 343
Nitre, or nitrat of potash, or saltpetre, ii. 32. 104. 116
Nitric acid, ii. 100
Nitrogen, or azot, i. 181. ii. 100
---- gas, i. 182. 211
Nitro-muriatic acid, or aqua regia, ii. 144
Nitrous acid gas, ii. 101. 106
---- air, or nitrit oxyd gas, ii. 107
Nitrats, ii. 116
Nitrat of copper, ii. 5
---- ammonia, ii. 113. 118
---- potash, or nitre, or saltpetre, ii. 32. 104. 116
---- silver, or lunar caustic, ii. 19
Nomenclature of acids, i. 264. ii. 69
---- compound salts, ii. 4. 22
---- other binary compounds, i. 278
Nut-galls, ii. 98. 199
Nut-oil, ii. 178
Nutrition, ii. 297

O

Ochres, i. 320
Oils, i. 285. ii. 306
Oil of amber, ii. 241
---- vitriol, or sulphuric acid, ii. 80
Olive oil, ii. 178
Ores, i. 315
Organized bodies, ii. 159
Organs of animals, ii. 290. 310
---- vegetables, ii. 159. 265. 271
Osmium, i. 14. 348
Oxalic acid, ii. 74. 197
Oxyds, i. 198
Oxyd of manganese, i. 117. 317
---- iron, i. 204. 319
---- lead, i. 319
---- sulphur, ii. 91
Oxydation, or oxygenation, i. 196
Oxygen, i. 11. 181. 201. 211
---- gas, or vital air, i. 182. 201
Oxy-muriatic acid, ii. 140
Oxy-muriats, ii. 153
Oxy-muriat of potash, ii. 155

P

Palladium, i. 13. 348
Papin’s digester, i. 120. ii. 284
Parenchyma, ii. 256. 266
Particles, i. 16
Pearlash, ii. 24
Peat, ii. 242
Peculiar juice of plants, ii. 268
Perfect metals, i. 14. 324
Perfumes, i. 308. ii. 183
Perspiration, ii. 333. 329
Petrification, ii. 237
Pewter, i. 344
Pharmacy, i. 14
Phosphat of lime, ii. 99. 299
Phosphorated hydrogen gas, i. 277
Phosphorescence, i. 29
Phosphoric acid, i. 273. ii. 99
Phosphorous acid, i. 274. ii. 99
Phosphorus, i. 270
Phosphoret of lime, i. 278. 341
---- sulphur, i. 279. 341
Pitch, ii. 187
Plaster, ii. 65
Platina, i. 14. 323
Plating, i. 345
Plumbago, or black lead, i. 304
Plumula, ii. 257
Porcelain, ii. 56
Positive electricity, i. 25. 161. 185
Potassium, i. 13. 357. ii. 15
Pottery, ii. 56
Potash, i. 356. ii. 22
Precipitate, i. 22
Pressure of the atmosphere, i. 112. 116
Printer’s ink, ii. 144
Prussiat of iron, or prussian blue, ii. 291
---- potash, ii. 291
Prussic acid, ii. 75. 290
Putrid fermentation, ii. 235. 360
Pyrites, i. 341. ii. 97
Pyrometer, i. 38. 42

Q

Quick lime, ii. 59
Quiescent forces, ii. 12

R

Radiation of caloric, i. 52
----, Prevost’s theory, i. 52
----, Pictet’s explanations, i. 54
----, Leslie’s illustrations, i. 61
Radicals, ii. 5. 69
Radicle; or root, ii. 257
Rain, i. 104
Rancidity, ii. 182
Rectification, ii. 223
Reflexion of caloric, i. 54. 64
Reptiles, ii. 349
Resins, ii. 165, 186. 266
Respiration, ii. 317. 326
Reviving of metals, i. 327
Rhodium, i. 14. 348
Roasting metals, i. 316
Rock crystal, ii. 61
Ruby, ii. 53
Rum, ii. 219
Rust, i. 318. 328

S

Saccharine fermentation, ii. 208
Sal ammoniac, or muriat of ammonia, ii. 35
---- polychrest, or sulphat of potash, ii. 91
---- volatile, or carbonat of ammonia, ii. 41
Salifiable bases, ii. 5
Salifying principles, ii. 5
Saltpetre, or nitre, or nitrat of potash, ii. 32. 104. 116
Salt, ii. 91
Sand, ii. 30. 51
Sandstone, ii. 51
Sap of plants, ii. 165. 260. 262. 270. 272
Sapphire, ii. 58
Saturation, i. 101.
Sapphire, ii. 58
Saturation, i. 101
Seas, temperature of, i. 33.
Sebacic acid, ii. 75. 182. 290. 353
Secretions, ii. 307
Seeds of plants, ii. 210. 271
Seltzer water, i. 289. ii. 63. 129
Senses, ii. 310
Silex, or silica, ii. 30. 51
Silicium, i. 13.
Silk, ii. 359
Silver, i. 321
Simple bodies, i. 10. 12
Size, ii. 281
Skin, ii. 279. 310. 193
Slakeing of lime, i. 147. ii. 56
Slate, ii. 51. 66
Smelting metals, i. 316
Smoke i. 208
Soap, ii. 24
Soda, i. 363. ii. 33
---- water, i. 299
Sodium, i. 13. 363
Soils, i. 42. ii. 245
Soldering, i. 345
Solubility, ii. 92
Solution, i. 96
---- by the air, i. 102
---- of potash, ii. 28
Specific heat, i. 126
Spermaceti, ii. 358
Spirits, ii. 313
Steam, i. 140. 182
Steel, i. 305
Stomach, ii. 315
Stones, ii. 46
Stucco, ii. 65
Strontites, ii. 44. 68
Strontium, i. 13
Suberic acid, ii. 74. 197
Sublimation, i. 257
Succin, or yellow amber, ii. 241
Succinic acid, ii. 74. 197. 241
Sugar, ii. 165. 174. 208
---- of milk, ii. 355
Sulphats, ii. 5. 91
Super oxygenated sulphuric acid, ii. 70.
Sulphat of alumine, or alum, ii. 54. 95
---- barytes, ii. 58
---- iron, ii. 96
---- lime, or gypsum, or plaster of Paris, ii. 95
---- magnesia, or Epsom salt, ii. 67. 95
---- potash, or sal polychrest, ii. 91
---- soda, or Glauber’s salts, ii. 92
Sulphur, i. 256
---- flowers of, i. 257
Sulphurated hydrogen gas, i. 165. 268
Sulphurets, i. 341
Sulphurous acid, i. 254. ii. 88
Sulphuric acid, i. 74. ii. 265
Sympathetic ink, i. 354
Synthesis, i. 287

T

Tan, ii. 192
Tannin, ii. 165. 192
Tar, ii. 187
Tartarous acid, ii. 74. 197
Tartrit of potash, ii. 222
Teeth, ii. 300
Tellurium, i. 14
Temperature, i. 33
Thaw, i. 158
Thermometers, i. 40
----, Fahrenheit’s, i. 42
----, Reaumur’s, i. 42
----, Centigrade, i. 43
----, air, i. 44
----, differential, i. 46
Thunder, i. 248
Tin, i. 14. 344
Titanium, i. 14. 348
Turf, ii. 242
Turpentine, ii. 187
Transpiration of plants, ii. 260
Tungsten, i. 14. 340

V

Vapour, i. 36. 49. 93. 182
Vaporisation, i. 103
Varnishes, ii. 187
Vegetables, ii. 158
Vegetable acid, i. 310. ii. 74. 197
---- colours, ii. 190
---- heat, ii. 272
---- oils, ii. 177
Veins, ii. 304. 323.
Venous blood, ii. 305. 326. 338
Ventricles, ii. 324
Verdigris, i. 352
Vessels, ii. 304
Vinegar, ii. 232
Vinous fermentation, ii. 212
Vital air, or oxygen gas, i. 182
Vitriol, or sulphat of iron, ii. 81
Volatile oils, i. 307. ii. 165. 183. 224. 269
---- products of combustion, i. 207
---- alkali, i. 363. ii. 20. 35
Voltaic battery, i. 164. 220. 356. ii. 15

U

Uranium, i. 14

W

Water, i. 215. ii. 262
----, decomposition of, by electricity, i. 200. 225
----, condensation of, i. 32
---- of the sea, i. 86
----, boiling, i. 93
----, solution by, i. 96
---- of crystallisation, i. 339
Wax, i. 309. ii. 180. 358
Whey, ii. 351
Wine, ii. 212
Wood, ii. 267
Woody fibre, ii. 156. 196. 267
Wool, ii. 300

Y

Yeast, ii. 234.
Yttria, ii. 44.
Yttrium, i. 13.

Z

Zinc, ii. 14. 344
Zirconia, ii. 44
Zirconium, i. 14
Zoonic acid, ii. 75. 220

END.

Printed by A. Strahan,
Printers-Street, London

* * * * *
* * * *
* * * * *

Terminology

oxy-muriatic acid = chlorine
(proposed as an element in 1815: see Conversation XIX)
“columbium or tantalium” = niobium and tantalum
(the two elements always occur together, and were not recognized
as separate until much later in the 19th century)
phosphat of lime = calcium diphosphate _or_ calcium
(the element calcium was isolated in 1808, but is named only once
in this 1817 edition)
glucium = beryllium (Humphry Davy’s name for the element)

muriatic acid = hydrochloric acid
(still called “muriatic acid” for some commercial uses)
muriat of lime = calcium chloride
oxymuriate of potash = potassium chlorate
muriat of soda = sodium chloride (table salt)
carbonic acid = carbon dioxide

Note also:

simple body, fundamental principle = element
fecula = starch (usually spelled “fæcula”)
spirit of wine = alcohol
philosopher = scientist
arts = industry, manufacture, crafts etc. (seldom “fine arts”)

Some essential concepts relating to living things--photosynthesis, microorganisms, the cell, proteins--are either unknown or not mentioned. The atom theory had been proposed, but not by Humphry Davy; it is not mentioned in this book.

The word “explode” is used at least once in its orginal, figurative sense (“a word that should be exploded in chemistry”) but far more often in its later, concrete one. The word “explosion” is always used concretely (“an explosion, or a _detonation_ as chemists commonly call it”).

Calculated Values:

“the point of zero, or the absolute privation of heat, must consequently be 1260 degrees below 32 degrees”

[-1228° F. The calculation is based on wrong premises; the correct
figure is about -460° F or -273° C.]

“Mercury congeals only at seventy-two degrees below the freezing point.”

[-40° F, which is also -40° C. This figure is correct, though
approximate.]

“The proportion stated by Sir H. Davy, in his Chemical Researches, is as 1 to 2.389.”

“[ammonia] consisted of about one part of hydrogen to four parts of nitrogen.... and from the latest and most accurate experiments, the proportions appear to be, one volume of nitrogen gas to three of hydrogen gas”

[These and similar calculations involving weight and volume make more
sense when one knows the elements’ atomic weights. For nitric acid,
HNO_3, the figures are 1:14:48, giving a proportion closer to 1:3.5.
For ammonia, NH_3 (not 4), the figures are 14:3.]

“The _oxalic acid_, distilled from sorrel, is the highest term of vegetable acidification; for, if more oxygen be added to it, it loses its vegetable nature, and is resolved into carbonic acid and water;”

[Oxalic acid = H_2C_2O_4; carbonic acid (carbon dioxide) = CO_2.
H_2C_2O_4 + O becomes H_2O + CO_2 + CO_2.]

* * * * *
* * * *

Contents: Numbering and Changes

The 3rd and 4th editions used the same Conversation numbering. Changes between the 4th and 5th (present text) edition are shown. Some illustrations were also changed.

_Volume I: On Simple Bodies_

(I, II, III no change)

IV. On Specific Heat, Latent Heat, and Chemical Heat.
IV. On Combined Caloric, Comprehending Specific Heat
and Latent Heat.

-- V. [New Chapter] On The Chemical Agencies Of Electricity.