676 BERZELIUS ON THE COMPOSITION OF 
commonly small addition of oxygen points clearly to the exist- 
ence of a conjugate compound, in which the increase of oxygen 
only pertains to the chemically active oxide. 
In the case of oxamic acid, we have seen that to the bodies 
which may be conjuncts the amides likewise belong. Fehling’s 
experiments upon succinic acid have shown that this acid gives 
with succinamide a similarly constituted conjugate succinic acid, 
and Laurent’s researches prove the existence of similar conjugate 
acids with amidogen produced from tartaric, lactic, camphoric 
and phtalinic acids. From a single one, these examples have 
rapidly increased to a multitude. It is therefore evident that 
this mode of combination must be more general than we had 
previously reason to suppose. But this includes the doctrine of 
ternary radicals, into the composition of which nitrogen enters, 
in a manner which it is quite beyond our power to explain. As 
long as the amide is composed of an acid in a low grade of oxi- 
dation combined with NH?, the kind of relationship is easily 
discovered, for acids and alkalies then convert the amide into 
ammonia or oxide of ammonium, by oxidizing, at the expense of 
water, the oxide with which it is combined. But when amides 
of a different kind, where such higher oxidation of the oxide 
cannot take place, and consequently the amidogen cannot be 
converted into ammonia, become conjuncts to organic oxides, 
nitrogenized or not nitrogenized, these cannot be discovered by 
the means just mentioned. 
From all that has now been stated it is therefore evident, that 
although the view relating to compound radicals may be quite 
correct, there still remains a vast deal to be discovered before we 
can apply it in a satisfactory manner, and before we can with 
certainty distinguish between a combination of oxygen with a 
compound radical and a conjugate oxide. 
Our rational view extends only to the fact, that we have suc- 
ceeded in showing the existence of compound radicals, and that 
the combinations of these with oxygen, sulphur, salt radicals, &c. 
have a great and general tendency to the formation of conjugate 
compounds,' n which one of the constituent bodies retains its 
chemical activity, whilst the other in most cases entirely loses it. 
What relation do the phenomena of substitution bear to these 
views? This question arises spontaneously from what has just 
been stated. 
It is evident that when a conjugate compound is acted upon 
