Existence of Radicals in the Amphide Salts disproved. 53 
cient proof of the existence of a halogen* body, simple or com- 
pound, in the combination, the evolution of hydrogen from water, 
by the contact with any metal of the alkalies, must prove oxy- 
gen to be a halogen body; also the evolution of hydrogen from 
sulphydric, selenhydric, or telluhydric acids, by similar means, 
would justify an inference that sulphur, selenium, or tellurium, 
as well as oxygen, belong to the halogen, or “salt radical” class. 
(c.) ‘The amphigen bodies being thus proved to belong to the 
halogen class, oxides, sulphides, selenides, and tellurides, would 
be haloid salts, and their compounds double salts, instead of con- 
sisting of a compound radical and a metal. 
(d.) The argument in favor of similarity of composition in the 
haloid and amphide salts, founded on a limited resemblance of 
properties in some instances, is more than counterbalanced by the 
extreme dissimilitude in many others. 4 
(e.) As, in either class, almost every property may be found 
which is observed in any chemical compound, the existence of a 
similitude, in some cases, might be naturally expected. 
(f-) As it is evident that many salts, perfectly analogous in 
composition, are extremely dissimilar in properties, it is not rea- 
sonable to consider resemblance in properties, as a proof of analo- 
gy in composition. 
(g.) No line of distinction, as respects either properties or com- 
position, can be drawn between the binary compounds of the am- 
phigen and halogen bodies, which justifies that separate classifi- 
cation which the doctrine requires; so that it must be untenable 
aS respects the one, or be extended to the other. =~ 
(h.) The great diversity, both as respects properties and com- 
position of the bodies called salts, rendering it impossible to define 
the meaning of the word, any attempt to vary the language and 
theory of chemistry, in reference to the idea of a salt, must be 
disadvantageous. 
(t.) There is at least as much mystery in the fact, that the ad- 
dition of an atom of oxygen to an oxacid, should confer an affin- 
ity for a simple radical, as that the addition of an atom of this 
element to such a radical, should create an affinity between it, 
and an oxacid. 5 
tbe ee 
* The epithet halogen, is applied to bodies whose binary compounds with metals 
are deemed salts, and which are consequently called haloid salts. 
