116 Oliservations on the Doctrines : 
fluoric acids, in which he concluded they were formed by the 
union of oxygen and hydrogen in different proportions. Later 
discoveries have proved this not to be the case. For oxymuriatic 
acid, now called chlorine, appears to be the basis of the muriatic 
acid; and fluoric acid, from the experiments of Davy, Gay-Lussac 
and Thenard, also has a peculiar base. 
Notwithstanding the theory of atoms is so very hypothetical, 
it is applicable to calculation, as the numbers are relative, and 
taken froma fixed ratio. Therefore, if we take the original pro- 
position that water be composed of equal atoms of these gases, 
I am inclined to think 6-96 as very near the true number for oxy- 
gen. I am not fond of rejecting decimals, as these, when there 
is.a combination consisting of some high multiple, will lead to 
considerable error in the calculation, or when the substance un- 
der examination consists of many parts. 
Dr. Thomson in his paper on oxalic acid, when calculating the 
composition of this acid, takes oxygen at 6, and hydrogen at 1, 
and carbon, with Mr. Dalton, at 4°3; and he finds from experi- 
ment the composition of oxalic acid to be, 
Oxygen.. 64-69, and by calculation Oxygen.. 61 
Carbon .. 31°78 bel os Carbon... 34 
Hydrogen . 5°53 hee 0 Hydrogen 5 
100-00 100 
If the number representing oxygen be taken, as I have above 
mentioned, 6°96, calculation gives 
Oxygen ....00.6...2.. 64°24 which comes ex- 
Carbon vospe wold tea) Bs: tremely near. 
Hydrogen 1. 4-'S oshe-biewwidievs AG 1 
100-00 
The numbers given by Sir H. Davy, being reduced to Mr. Dal- 
ton’s views, and applying them as above, appear to be too high. 
After Dr. Thomson, we find that Dr. Wollaston also read a paper 
to the Royal Society, giving an account of some expefiments he 
had made upon sub-acid and super-acid salts. These he con- 
siders as particular examples of Mr. Dalton’s more general rule, 
which he states thus: ‘* that in all cases the simple elements of 
bodies are disposed to unite atom to atom singly; or, if either is 
in excess, it exceeds by a ratio to be expressed by some simple 
multiple of the number of its atoms.” 
When examining the oxalates, he found the super-oxalate to 
contain twice the quantity of acid the neutral salt contains. 
Hence it is probable that it unites in the proportion of 1 of potassa 
to 1 of acid, and 2 of acid to 1 of potassa: therefore the next 
combination, if it be formed, ought to consist of 3 of acid to 1 of 
alkali. To determine this, the Doctor took 400 grains of potassa 
and neutralized it with 30 of acid; to this he added 60 grains 
ant eee more 
