284 Researches respecting the radical of Benzoic Acid. 



The former analysis differs therefore from the theoretical compo- 

 sition by 0-702 carbon and 0*595 hydrogen, which overplus just as 

 much diminished the oxygen. 



The results consequent upon your examination of the bitter al- 

 mond oil, are the most important which vegetable chemistry has thus 

 far received, and promise to diffuse an unexpected light over this 



part of science. 



The circumstance that a body composed of carbon, hydrogen, and 



oxygen, combines with other bodies, particularly with such as form 

 salts, after the manner of a simple body, proves that there are terna- 

 ry composed atoms (of the first order) and the radical of benzoic 

 acid is the first example proved with certainty, of a ternary body 

 possessing the properties of an element. It is true indeed that we 

 have before considered sulphur et of cyanogen (Schvvefelcyan) as 

 such, but you are aware that its combinations may be viewd as sul- 

 phurets and the body itself seems to be a sulphuret of cyanogen. 



The facts proved by you give rise to such reflections, that we well 

 may view them as the dawning of a new day in vegetable chemistry, 

 I might for this reason propose to call the first discovered radical, com- 

 posed of more than two elements, proin from cr^o/j dawn, in the sense 

 atru V^wt £cj£ ktfirigwg Acts xxvm. 20.) or orthrin (from ofipog au- 

 rora,) from which the names proic acid, orthric acid, and chloroproin 

 chlor orthrin can be employed with more facility. In considera- 

 tion however, that the long received name benzoic acid would there- 

 by become changed, and that we are always accustomed to respect 

 names in general use where they do not embrace a double idea, by 

 deriving new names from them, as boron from borax, potassium from 

 potash, &c, it therefore appears to me in every respect more prop- 

 er to employ the word proposed by yourselves and to change the 

 term benzoic, into benzoylic acid.* 



From the moment we know with certainty of the existance of ter- 

 nary atoms of the first order, which combine after the manner of sim- 

 ple bodies, it will greatly facilitate expression in the language of for- 

 mulas, to denote each radical by a peculiar sign, through which the 

 idea of the combination to be expressed, instantly and clearly strikes 

 the reader. I will illustrate this by a few examples. Thus if we 

 put benzoyl C 1 * H 1 ° 0*=Bz, then we have, 



* We at first chose the name benzoin, as it properly stands in BerzeHus' letter, 

 and have since substituted the word benzoyl, that benzoin may be used for isometric 

 hydrobenzoyl ; by the ending in yl, we are the less reminded of strychnin, sali- 

 cin, fcc— W, & L. 



