DALTON 123 



to the influence of women, for a warm friendship existed 

 between him and Miss Nancy Wilson. The lady died 

 young, but he always cherished her memory with affection. 

 Another valued friend of Dalton's was Mademoiselle 

 Clementine Cuvier, the daughter of the celebrated 

 naturalist. 



Concerning Dalton's atomic theory, it may be stated 

 that he introduced the idea of weights his theory is 

 essentially one of weight the relative weights of the 

 different atoms. The first public notice of the atomic 

 theory is contained in his paper, " An Experimental Inquiry 

 into the Proportion of the Several Gases contained in the 

 Atmosphere." He found that oxygen has the power of 

 combining in two different proportions with nitric oxide, 

 forming two distinct bodies, and that the quantities by 

 weight of oxygen which combine are in the simple ratio 

 of one to two. No intermediate compound could be 

 obtained. It was this fact that led to the atomic theory, 

 and the law of multiple proportions. "It is to Dalton 

 who made his living by giving private lessons at half a 

 crown each that we owe this knowledge which has made 

 the fortunes of thousands, because he first told us the laws 

 which govern chemical action." 



Dalton's atomic theory is, however, somewhat different 

 from the one of to-day. In his day the smallest particle 

 (elementary or compound) was an atom, whereas now 

 compound bodies are composed of atoms of the elements 



