44 OF THE ATOMIC THEORY. 



One contains seven atoms ; namely, 



Perchloric ; 



And one eight atoms ; viz. 



Saclactic. 







Rules by 4. I shall now briefly notice the considerations 



which the . 



investiga- by which 1 have been regulated in the following 

 author were investigations, and by which I have been led to 



regulated. x U p On ^ Q a tomic numbers contained in this 

 work. 



(1.) The only useful information respecting 

 the atoms of bodies, which we are likely to ac- 

 quire, is that of the ratios which these weights 

 bear to each other. Hence, the smaller the 

 numbers employed to represent these atoms, the 

 more useful will they be to the practical chemist. 



(2.) Neutral salts (that is, salts which are nei- 

 ther acid nor alkaline) are probably composed of 

 1 atom of acid united to 1 atom of base. When 

 the salt has acid qualities, it is probably a com- 

 pound of 1 atom base, and more than 1 atom of 

 acid. When it possesses alkaline qualities, it is 

 probably a compound of 1 atom acid, and more 

 than 1 atom of base : but to these rules there 

 are many exceptions. Some acids have not the 

 property of neutralizing the bases, in however 

 great a proportion they are combined with them. 

 This is the case with boracic acid ; even a com- 

 pound of 8 atoms of boracic acid, and 1 atom of 



