Voltaic Electricity on Alcohol, &c. 333 
bodies, by what are called rational formule. The principal re- 
commendation of this method consists in the greater clearness 
which it introduces into our ideas of the relative constitution of 
such substances ; but undoubtedly there is the greatest possible 
risk that, when not founded on grounds strictly experimental, 
these rational formule may not give an accurate representation 
of what really exists. We have the authority of the highest 
names for the application of such views to alcohol and ether ; but 
it is remarkable that these views, although founded on the same 
principle, have differed considerably in their details. Gay Lus- 
sac appears to have adopted the above-mentioned view, that al- 
cohol consists of water and olefiant gas, and ether of water and a 
greater proportion of olefiant gas.* Brrzrxius modified this 
opinion,+ by assuming that a peculiar hydrocarbon C*H", which 
he called Etherine (Ae), having the same proportions of constitu- 
ents as olefiant gas, but a greater total number of atoms, entered 
into the constitution of both alcohol and ether, which were both 
regarded as hydrates of this substance, alcohol being Ae+2H, 
and ether Ae+H. He afterwards saw cause to alter his view, 
and to assume alcohol and ether to be oxides of different radi- 
cles, the former C’H’--0, and the latter C‘H"-++O. | Leste has 
adopted this latter opinion in regard to ether, but has rejected 
it with respect to alcohol. || He considers ether as the oxide of 
a hydrocarbon (E), different from olefiant gas, and represented 
by C*H”, and alcohol as the hydrate of that oxide; 7.e. a hy- 
drate of ether. Ether is therefore E, and alcohol E+H; and 
he has given a view of the composition of all the compound 
ethers and other relative substances, which is remarkable for con- 
sistency, and its strong analogy with the laws of inorganic com- 
* Annales de Chim., tom. xcy. 
+ Annales de Chim. et de Phys., tom. li. p. 313. 
+ Poggend. Annal. xxviii. 627. 
|| Annales de Chim. et de Phys., tom. lv. p. 132. 
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