1819.] with Bases and indifferent Substances. 39 



Chemists supported their opinions respecting th^ acids by the 

 analogy of sulphuretted hydrogen, prussic acid, oxymuriatic 

 acid, bic. ; and with respect* to the saline bases, on the contrary, 

 by the ethers containing acids completely neutralized, the acid 

 in them being disguised by the alcohol precisely as if it were a 

 saline basis. But these ethers (thermates) contain only a por- 

 tion of the alcohol, or at least the alcohol in an altered state. 

 Besides, it may be demonstrated that the two constituents 

 cannot be separated as in the salts by a strong saline basis ; nor 

 when separated can they be again united into ether. These 

 facts show us that the case must be different from what is 

 commonly supposed. The following general observations will 

 probably throw some light on the subject. 



Alcohol and almost all the substances belonging to the class of 

 indifferent or acid bodies, whether derived from the organized or 

 unorganized kingdoms of nature, are incapable of saturating acids, 

 or of destroying the acid property of bodies ; but these bodies, 

 in most cases, unite themselves to the strong acids in the same 

 way as the saline bases do, without losing any of their consti- 

 tuents, except heat and water. The compounds produced by 

 this union still continue acid, and are generally distinguished 

 from the salts by this circumstance, that they cannot be decom- 

 posed by the action of the most powerful saline basis. By such 

 combinations peculiar acids are produced, which have not the 

 smallest resemblance to the acid, which enters into them as a 

 constituent, and to which they are inferior in strength. To this 

 class of bodies belong the alcoholic acids and all the acids 

 produced by the combination of a strong acid with an indifferent 

 substance.* 



The subhydrates and hydrates, or the combinations of the acids 

 with the first doses of water (an indifferent substance), which 

 are necessary to them as a basis, have the greatest resemblance 

 to the alcoholic acids, and belong to the same class with them ; 

 only in these hydrates the water (the second constituent of such 



acids; while others, as lead and calcium, form with it saline bases; and wbv 

 acids and saline bases endeavour so eagerly to unite together. Hence likewise 

 we can form a general notion of what an acid and a saline basis is. Hydrogen, 

 sulphur, and similar bodies, are in the same situation. That sulphur forms an acid 

 with h\drogen ceases to be surprising when we know that sulphur itself possesses 

 the properties of an acid, and that it is capable of neutralizing acids. It would 

 exhibit the properties' of other acids, and he still a stronger acid than sulphuretted 

 hydrogen, if it were soluble in water. Hydrogen communicates to it the property 

 of dissoh ing in water, and of course renders it capable of reddening litmus. It is 

 already established that a body destitute of the properties of a saline basis is not 

 capable of neutralizing acids. The consequence of this must be, that the acid sul- 

 phur, when united wi;h the indifferent body hydrogen, must still constitute an 

 acid, and ih.it when united with the saline bases, it aiust constitute a salt. Sul- 

 phuretted hydrogen of cour»e may be compared with the alchboTie acids. It is 

 the intphnr which gives to these last acid properties. Cyanogen, whose acid nature 

 is weakened and neutralized i:i the thermate by heat, is in a similar situation. 



* The alcoholic acids overturn the opinion that alcohol possesses the property 

 of neutralizing acids like the saline bases. Even those who will not admit that 

 beat is a constituent «f ether, mu>t at least allow that the ether formed by the action 

 of an acid docs not contain alcohol, but only the elements of that substance. 



