Animal chemistry, or, Chemistry in its applications to physiology and pathology / by Baron Liebig ; edited from the author's manuscript by William Gregory.

  • Justus von Liebig
Date:
1848
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Animal chemistry, or, Chemistry in its applications to physiology and pathology / by Baron Liebig ; edited from the author's manuscript by William Gregory. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    This is, generally speaking, the essential character Respiration is of the process of eremacausis or respiration : it is an cesToT com- indirect process of combustion, going on at a low bustlon; temperature, and with a limited supply of Oxygen. We are not acquainted with any case in which, under these circumstances, the Carbon of an organic substance combines directly with Oxygen to produce Carbonic Acid ; no combustion of the Car- the carbon is bon, in the proper sense of the word, takes place, but not bumed- the hydrogen of the compound is oxidized and separated as water, while its equivalent of Oxygen is taken up in its place. Should one of the intermediate compounds, which are formed by the gradual replacement of the Hydrogen by Oxygen, possess, in itself, an attraction for Oxygen, then for 1 eq. Hydrogen more than 1 eq. Oxygen is taken up. The development of heat in the respiratory process, therefore, depends not on the direct oxidation of the Carbon, but on the conversion of the Hydrogen of the organic compound into water, and on the substitution of one or more equivalents of Oxygen for this Hydrogen. The conversion of Alcohol into Carbonic acid, one of the pro- cesses of eremacausis (slow combustion), or decay which has been .most carefully studied, may serve, perhaps, to render more easily comprehensible the changes which occur during the gradual re- placement of Hydrogen by Oxygen. Alcohol Acetic Acid Formic Acid Carbonic Acid •Sty *>,]■ <.}' <'.l During the conversion of Alcohol into Acetic Acid, if less Ox- ygen be present than is necessary to replace the Hydrogen by its equivalent of Oxygen, 4 eq. Hydrogen are separated, without re- placement, and there is produced the intermediate compound, Aldehyde, which, by direct absorption of Oxygen, is converted into Acetic Acid. Alcohol Aldehyde Acetic Acid But Aldehyde, if Oxygen be supplied in sufficient quantity, 4
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