That, on the other hand, those odorous substances are by no means
inactive bodies, may be inferred from their great volatility, known as
it is in physical science that volatility is owing to a state of atomic
activity. Prevost has described two phenomena that are presented by
odorous substances. One is that, when placed on water, they begin to
move; and the other is, that a thin layer of water, extended on a
perfectly clean glass plate, retracts when such an odorous substance as
camphor is placed upon it. Monsieur Ligeois has further shown that the
particles of an odorous body, placed on water, undergo a rapid division,
and that the movements of camphor, or of benzoic acid, are inhibited, or
altogether arrested, if an odorous substance be brought into contact
with the water in which they are moving.
Seeing, then, that odorous substances, when coming in contact with
liquid bodies, assume a peculiar motion, and impart at the same time
motion to the liquid body, we may fairly conclude that the specific
formative capacity of the protoplasm is owing, not to the protoplasm
itself, since it is everywhere alike, but to the inherent, specific,
odoriferous substances.
Pages:
656
657
658
659
660
661
662
663
664
665
666
667
668
669
670
671
672
673
674
675
676
677
678
679
680