2Q3 Chemical and Mineralogical Nomenclature. 



contains the bafe of carbonic acid, but that alio of hydrogen 

 gas. But even if this experiment had proved the exiftence of 

 hydrogen in charcoal, it would not follow that the inflam- 

 mable air thence refulting effects the reduction of metallic 

 oxyds in the way underftood by the Stahlians; it would (how 

 nothing more than that charcoal is not a fimple fubftance*; 

 for, if it were fo, it would not produce water, but would limply 

 join the the oxyd and reduce it. 



[To be continuec\] 



II. Of Chemical and Mineralogical Nomenclature* Bj 

 Richard Kirwan, LL.D. F.R.S. and P.R.LA. 



[Concluded from Paj;e 179.] 



XjlNOTIIER inconvenience arifing from denominations 

 aiming to exprefs the compofition of the objects on which 

 they are beffowed, is, that they often cannot exprefs the pro- 

 portion of the compounding ingredients without confiderable 

 embarraffment ; this proportion nevcrthelefs is a circumftancei 

 often of great importance, as it induces an important differ- 

 ence in their properties, and the embarraffment is greater when 

 the compounding ingredients are numerous. To obviate the 

 firft, in one particular inffance, the French fchool have very 

 properly aihgncd different names to compounds holding dif- 

 ferent proportions of oxygen and pofleffing different properties 

 in virtue of that difference of proportion, as acids and oxides; 

 hut feveral of the vegetable acids differ from each other only 

 in the proportion of ingredients, which cannot, even if fully 

 known, be exprelTed in detail on every occafion. So, to ob- 

 tain a diffinct knowledge of the various combinations offul- 

 phur, or fulphur and hydrogen, with different bafes, is of the 

 utmoft conlequence to any one that willies to obtain any 

 infight into the phenomena prefented by mineral waters 

 during their analyfis, or of the nature of other fulphurated 

 compounds : on this obfeure and intricate inveftigation moil 



r It is well 'known that charcoal retains water with great obftinacy 

 and it is exrrcmelv probable rii.it, in fpite of the care ufed in this experi- 

 ment, fome of thatlicjuid, had been left in the charcoal employed. 



.4 certainly 



