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Sec. II, Ch. 1: The Diamond

Sec. II, Ch. 1: The Diamond Page of 366 Sec. II, Ch. 1: The Diamond Text size:minus plus Restore normal size   Mail page  Print this page
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The Diamond.
electricity, especially in the form of lightning, upon car­bonic acid, that its decomposition is effected ; and he quotes the statements of the Ancients, "that in those mines where the largest number of Diamonds were found, were so-called thunder-bolts."
Among those who have supported the vegetable origin of the Diamond, is Newton, who believed it to be a coagulated fat, or oily body, of vegetable origin. Jameson and Brewster advanced similar views ; and Petzholdt also decided for the vegetable origin, basing his conclusions mainly on the microscopic study of the residual ash left when a Diamond is burnt. In view of our present knowledge it is interesting to read what the great chemist, Liebig said on this subject : " Science affords us no analogy, except that of decomposition and decay, for the formation or origin of the Diamond. We know that it does not owe its origin to fire ; for a high temperature and the presence of oxygen are incompatible with it on account of its combustibility : on the contrary, there is undeniable ground for supposing that it was formed in the wet way ; and the decomposition process alone helps us in our attempts to solve the mystery of its origin. What kind of vegetable substance, rich in hydro­carbons, the decomposition of which gave rise to the Diamond, and what particular conditions had to be fulfilled in order to crystallize the carbon, are not at present known to us ; but this much is certain, that the process must have been exceedingly gradual, and in no way hastened by a high temperature ; otherwise the carbon would not have become crystallized, but would have separated itself as a black powder."
Wöhler also was of opinion that the Diamond did not originate at a high temperature, or at least not by fusion.
Sec. II, Ch. 1: The Diamond Page of 366 Sec. II, Ch. 1: The Diamond
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