38 Dr. Serturner on the Combination of Acids [July, 



however, occurs in this case, which 1 shall take another opportu- 

 nity of explaining. 



The light produced by these observations goes further, and at 

 once withdraws the veil from many phenomena hitherto inexpli- 

 cable ; as, for example, the formation of ether and starch sugar ; 

 and shows us that they are the consequence of the mutual action 

 of the substances on each other. It has been supposed that 

 alcohol is capable of neutralizing acids just as the saline bases 

 do ; while chemists overlooked the true compounds of alcohol 

 with acids, substituting for them the ethers ; and pushing this 

 view of the subject founded on false premises still further, they 

 compared these combinations with those of the saline bases, and 

 considered them as similar. It is an axiom founded on theory 

 and observation, that an indifferent substance, as water, hydro- 

 gen, sulphur, alcohol, azote, &c. (and still less an acid substance) 

 does not possess the characters of a saline basis, and is, there- 

 fore, incapable of completely depriving an acid of its acid 

 properties.* The substance produced by the union of such 

 bodies, according to the laws by which elementary substances 

 unite, should be always acid ; and this accordingly is what happens ; 

 for the property of neutralizing belongs only to the saline bases, 

 and indeed is confined to those which are soluble in water. By 

 this, all our former notions respecting the properties of acids and 

 bases are destroyed. These indeed were by no means well esta- 

 blished, and would require elucidation. f 



* I class among indifferent substances all bodies which do not possess the property 

 of neutralizing, which do not unile with the saline bases as acids, but form with 

 the strong acids pci uliar acids not commonly decomposed by the saline bases. 

 The combination of alcohol with the strong acids gives us the best example of this 

 k'.'d 'if compound. The hydrous acids are analogous to the alcoholic acids; but 

 are Distinguished by this, that they combine only with the feeble saline bases with- 

 oe deco [i position ; but b-> the strong bases are decomposed, and the water disen- 

 gr, »erf. The acids act in the same way as the indifferent bodies to the strong acids. 

 The double acids constitute an example. 



+ Instead of affinity, I employ the more accurate term, attraction of the elements, 

 because all chemical phenomena are the consequence of the attraction of the 

 elements; and the doctrine of chemical force*, J call stochiotogy. Stochiometry, 

 its at present taught, points out stochiology, with which indeed it is identical. It 

 constitutes the basis of chemistry, and embraces the whole scienceas a pure scientific 

 system. It is founded upon the different properties of the atoms of bodies. Can 

 there, for example, exist an intimate union between two bodies in which the acti- 

 vity comes all on one side, little or none at all being exerted by the other ? On that 

 supposition is one member of the compound more or less passive and free, and does 

 it show this by exhibiting several of its properties, while the active constituent of 

 the compound loses its properties in some measure, its force being employed in fet- 

 tering the nassive constituent ? Thus oxygen predominates in the acids, but the 

 radical predominates in tiie saline ba^es. Hence the violent action which takes 

 place between acids and bases. The greatness of this dispropor'ion, and the 

 greatness of the attraction between oxygen and the radical, determine the strength 

 of the acid and the saline basis. 



Results show that this view of the difference in the attractions of bodies is 

 founded in nature. In this way it is possible from the properties of bodies to 

 draw conclusions respecting their constituents Hence it becomes intelligible why 

 the acid is deposited at the positive pole and the basis at the negative pole of the 

 galvanic battery : why some substances, as arsenic and sulphur, form with oxygen 



2 



