84 Dr. Hare on the Salt Radical Theory. 
ability to redden litmus; and were they thus endowed, it could 
not be of any importance to the argument, since according to Lir- 
Bic, “ We have long since abandoned the position, that mere re- 
action with test paper should decide whether or not a body should 
be called an acid or not.” But if reaction with test paper be thus 
set aside, the inferior test of sourness cannot but share the same 
te. 
9. It seems to me that there has been a lamentable deficiency of 
precision in Ligsie’s expressions respecting the resemblance be- 
tween the hydrated oxacids and the haloid* hydracids. I call up- 
on him, or any of the advocates of the salt radical theory, to 
point out any peculiar attributes of acidity belonging to them in 
common. The whole source of this idea would seem to be a 
vague conception, that the vulgar attributes of acidity belonging 
in common to diluted sulphuric and diluted muriatic acid, are at- 
tributable to the hydrogen of the basic water in one case, and 
that of the hydrogen of the gaseous chloride in the other. But 
to lay any stress on this resemblance, is ireconcilable with the 
above quoted allegation of the celebrated author, that the effect 
upn test paper is no longer to be considered as an evidence of 
acidity. Yet besides this attribute and that of sourness, what 
other common properties, distinctive of these diluted acids, can 
be imagined? ‘The evolution of hydrogen by reaction with met- 
als, cannot avail unless water, equally capable of that reaction, 
be made an hydracid, and oxygen consequently transferred to the | 
halogen class. But if this transfer be made, the salts heretofore 
considered as simple amphide salts, become as well entitled to be 
deemed double haloid salts, as any of the double chlorides. 
10. Is it not evident that the whole of this salt radical doctrine, 
as presented by Lirste, is founded on an unnatural and arbitrary’ 
peculiarity attached to oxygen on one side, and to hydrogen on 
the other, by which each of these elements is treated as a body 
sui generis? Upon what rational ground is oxygen separated 
from the other electro-negative elements forming the amphigen and 
halogen bodies of Berze.ius? 
11. If chlorine be a simple radical, wherefore is not oxygen @ 
simple radical? But if oxygen be a simple radical, agreeably to 
Liezie’s definition above quoted, (3,) water, the oxide of hydro- 
. haloid compound is one which contains a halogen body as an ingredient. 
