256 Dr. Hareon the Chemical Nomenclature of Berzelius. 
But admitting the existence of oxynitrion in the nitrates, 
wherefore should not fluorine in fluacids, play the same part as 
oxygen in oxacids. If a compound radical be formed when two 
oxides come together, wherefore should there not be a compound 
radical formed by the meeting of two fluorides? If in the one 
ease, all the oxygen goes to form a compound radical, in the other 
ought not all the fluorine to perform an analogous part? Hence 
if on the one hand we admit the existence of orynitrion, on the 
other we must admit that of fluohydrogenion. 
It will be conceded that there is a great analogy between the 
acid haloid compounds of hydrogen erroneously named hydracids, 
and those formed by the same radical with sulphur, selenium, 
and tellurium. Ihave designated the three last, and likewise wa- 
ter when acting as an acid, as amphydric acids, while I have 
designated the haloid hydracids so called, as halohydric acids; 
founding these appellations on your words amphigen and halo- 
gene. Can it be imagined that although when either of the 
amphydric acids, sulphydric acid for instance, is presented to a 
corresponding amphide compound, sulphide of potassium for in- 
stance, that a compound radical is generated, so that the formula 
of the resulting -sulpho-salt is to be HS?P, and yet that when 
fluohydric acid is presented to the fluoride of potassium, there 
being no generation of a radical, the formula of the resulting 
compound is to be FH+FP — 
You consider it as an objection that I must class the oxide of 
sodium with the chloride and sulphide of the same metal, not- 
withstanding the diversity of their properties; but how can this 
be a consistent objection, when, according to your nomenclature, 
the chloride of sodium is classed not only with the fuming liquor 
of Libavius, the butyraceous and volatile chlorides, which though 
analogous in composition differ from it in properties extremely, 
but also with feldspar, gypsum, glass, and marble, which are 
utterly different from it in composition, as well as in properties? 
If in the case of the nitrate of lime and fluor spar we are to 
overlook that the latter is a stone, the former a deliquescent salt, 
in consideration of the alleged community of results obtained by 
reaction with sulphuric acid, let us subject the sulphide and 
chloride of sodium to the same test. Do we not obtain from 
either, sulphate of soda and a free acid? Is there not a much 
greater analogy between chlorohydric acid and sulphydric acid, 
