88 



ON THE SIGNIFICATION OF CHEMICAL TERMS. 



by his com 

 raentators. 



His msaning 

 explained. 



ward combined;** and Dr. Henry, page 73, when he says, 

 ** the force of affinity is in the inverse proportion of neu- 

 tralization," This principle Dr. H. explains numerically 

 by supposinpj 100 parts of potash to be divided into por- 

 tions, and successively put into sulphuric acid, tbe tirst 

 portion, he argues, will be held more forcibly than the se- 

 ll ere mistaken cond, &c. Now whatever errours Mr. Berthollet may have 

 fallen into, I think he cannot be fairly charged with this; 

 his commentators here appear to me to be responsible. 

 Suppose, instead of potash, barytes is substituted ; would 

 these gentlemen say, Berthollet maintains the first formed 

 sulphate of barytes would be with more difficulty decom- 

 posed than the last formed ? I think no such inference can 

 be fairly drawn from his position. If 1 understand Ber- 

 thollet, he means, that, if a combination, as sulphate of 

 potash, have another substance put to it, tending to decora- 

 pose the combination, as barytes, the action of the barytes 

 will be less and less powerful as the decomposition goes for- 

 ward ; the great quantity of potash liberated will lend its 

 assistance to that still in combination, and both finally will 

 prevent the small quantity of barytes remaining from effect- 

 ing a complete decomposition of the sulphate of potash. 



I would not have it to be understood, that by these in- 

 quiries I wish to depreciate your publication on chemistry, 

 or those of the ingenious gentlemen whom I have had occa- 

 sion to mention. The works have their excellencies ; and 

 if they should also have their defects, it is of interest to the 

 public and to the authors to be made acquainted with them. 

 I hope either you, or some of your readers, will undertake 

 to explain what you conceive chemical authors signify by 

 particles; and then I think we shall be enabled soon to dis- 

 pel the mists, that envelope the fundamental principles and 

 operations of the science. 



1 am yours, 



J. DALTON. 

 Manchester y Dec, 'i^tlu 



II. 



