OF THE ATOMIC THEORY. 47 



care, and the ratio between the acid and base in 

 them determined. From this I deduced the 

 atomic weights of the other acids. Thus, know- 

 ing that the atomic weight of soda is 4, and that 

 neutral anhydrous acetate of soda is composed 

 of 



Acetic acid 6-25 

 Soda 4 



10-25 



I drew as a conclusion, that 1O&5 represents 

 the weight of an integrant particle of anhydrous 

 acetate of soda, and that 6 '25 is the atomic 

 weight of acetic acid. 



In this way, the atomic weights of all the 

 acids and bases were determined from neutral 

 salts, and they represent the ratios in which the 

 acids and bases saturate each other, expressed 

 in the smallest numbers consistent with the no- 

 tion, that the atomic weight of oxygen is unity. 



The methods employed to determine the ato- 

 mic weights of the simple bodies, of which these 

 acids and bases are composed, will be under- 

 stood by perusing the different chapters of the 

 following work. 



