192 MEMOIR OF DE. DALTON, AND 



his experiment with 5760 grs. of muriatic acid and 2393 grs. 

 of chalk. 



" If now we desire to find the proportion of the elements in 

 the pure salt forming a neutral body, we must first seek to 

 determine the amount of lime out of the weight of the crude 

 lime used or the aerial salt of lime. This amounts to 2393 

 grains. According, then, to par. 1, 1000:559 = 2393 : lime, 

 and the lime is equal to ^^^V^=\S31 ; this, when sub- 

 tracted from the 2544 grains of the neutral mass obtained, 

 leaves a residue of 1207 grains, the weight of the muriatic 

 acid. If, then, 1207:2544*=! 000: 1107, it is clear that in the 

 salt of lime (chloride of calcium) 1 000 parts of muriatic acid 

 are united in a neutral state with 1 1 07 parts of lime ; the 

 proportion of the elements in this neutral solution is then 

 best designated by 1000: 1107. 



In this manner all the earths are treated, after which he 

 gives the relation of the quantities of alkaline earths towards 

 sulphuric acid and each other. 



Order of the masses of alkaline earths towards muriatic 

 acid. § XXII. P. 27. 



" If we set in a row the numbers which have been found 

 representing the masses of alkaline earths which unite with 

 1000 parts of muriatic acid, we obtain the first series of 

 quantities of the alkaline earths. The muriatic acid is the 

 determining element (elementum determinans) of this series, 

 and every member of this series represents an element de- 

 termined (elementum determinatum). In order to designate 

 the elements to which we affix these numbers, we shall make 

 use of the chemical signs for the sake of convenience, setting 

 the determining element, or rather its sign, at the top, or at 

 the side of the series of quantities ; and when no number is 

 placed, we shall suppose it to be 1000. In order to fix these 

 signs in our memory, we shall here repeat them." (These 

 signs it is not convenient to use.) 



* This evidently ought to have been 1337. 



