ATOMIC WEIGHTS. 53 



represent the atomic weights of simple bodies, 

 or multiples of them ; while the numbers of the 

 3rd column, including all those from hydrocyanic 

 acid in the 1st and 2nd columns, denote the 

 weights of compound particles or molecules. 

 Thus it will be found, that the atomic weight of 

 oxygen is 8 times that of hydrogen, carbon 6, 

 sulphur 16, nitrogen 14, chlorine 36, &c. that 

 the atomic weight of water is 9, of carbonic oxide 

 14, protoxide of nitrogen 22, which are binary 

 compounds ; whereas carbonic acid, sulphurous 

 acid, and all other bodies that are formed of 2 

 atoms of one element, and one of another, were 

 called ternary compounds by Dr. Dalton. For 

 the same reason, olefiant gas is a quaternary 

 compound nitrous acid a quinquenary com- 

 pound alcohol sexanary, being composed of 

 C 2 H 3 O. carbonate of ammonia septenary; while 

 nitrate of potass, aether, and many other bodies, 

 are still more complex, being formed of larger 

 numbers of simple atoms, united into compound 

 particles or molecules, which retain their indivi- 

 duality and specific relations to caloric, until de- 

 composed and again reduced to their constituent 

 particles. 



Berzelius regards all organic bodies as com- 

 posed of definite ratios of their constituent ele- 

 ments an hypothesis which is rendered more 

 and more probable by the recent progress of or- 

 ganic chemistry. It has been ascertained by the 



