organic laws

Organic \Or*gan"ic\ ([^o]r*g[a^]n"[i^]k), a. [L. organicus, Gr.
   'organiko`s: cf. F. organique.]
   1. (Biol.) Of or pertaining to an organ or its functions, or
      to objects composed of organs; consisting of organs, or
      containing them; as, the organic structure of animals and
      plants; exhibiting characters peculiar to living
      organisms; as, organic bodies, organic life, organic
      remains. Cf. {Inorganic}.
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   2. Produced by the organs; as, organic pleasure. [R.]
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   3. Instrumental; acting as instruments of nature or of art to
      a certain destined function or end. [R.]
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            Those organic arts which enable men to discourse and
            write perspicuously.                  --Milton.
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   4. Forming a whole composed of organs. Hence: Of or
      pertaining to a system of organs; inherent in, or
      resulting from, a certain organization; as, an organic
      government; his love of truth was not inculcated, but
      organic.
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   5. (Chem.) Of or pertaining to compounds which are
      derivatives of hydrocarbons; pertaining to, or denoting,
      any one of a large series of carbon-containing compounds
      which are related to the carbon compounds produced by
      biological processes (such as methane, oils, fats, sugars,
      alcohols, ethers, proteins, etc.) and include many
      substances of artificial production which may or may not
      occur in animals or plants; -- contrasted with
      {inorganic}.

   Note: Borderline cases exist which may be classified as
         either organic or inorganic, such as carbon
         terachloride (which may be viewed as a derivative of
         methane), but in general a compound must have a carbon
         with a hydrogen atom or another carbon atom attached to
         it to be viewed as truly organic, i.e. included in the
         subject matter of organic chemistry.
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   Note: The principles of organic and inorganic chemistry are
         identical; but the enormous number and the completeness
         of related series of organic compounds, together with
         their remarkable facility of exchange and substitution,
         offer an illustration of chemical reaction and homology
         not to be paralleled in inorganic chemistry.
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   {Organic analysis} (Chem.), the analysis of organic
      compounds, concerned chiefly with the determination of
      carbon as carbon dioxide, hydrogen as water, oxygen as the
      difference between the sum of the others and 100 per cent,
      and nitrogen as free nitrogen, ammonia, or nitric oxide;
      -- formerly called ultimate analysis, in distinction from
      proximate analysis.

   {Organic chemistry}. See under {Chemistry}.

   {Organic compounds}. (Chem.) Chemical substances which are
      organic[5]. See {Carbon compounds}, under {Carbon}.

   {Organic description of a curve} (Geom.), the description of
      a curve on a plane by means of instruments. --Brande & C.

   {Organic disease} (Med.), a disease attended with morbid
      changes in the structure of the organs of the body or in
      the composition of its fluids; -- opposed to {functional
      disease}.

   {Organic electricity}. See under {Electricity}.

   {Organic law} or {Organic laws}, a law or system of laws, or
      declaration of principles fundamental to the existence and
      organization of a political or other association; a
      constitution.

   {Organic stricture} (Med.), a contraction of one of the
      natural passages of the body produced by structural
      changes in its walls, as distinguished from a {spasmodic
      stricture}, which is due to muscular contraction.
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