14*0 COMBUSTIBLE ACIDS. 



Thus it appears, not only that the atomic weight 

 of succinic acid is the same with that of acetic 

 acid, but that both acids are composed of the 

 very same atomic constituents. This is a de- 

 cisive proof that these vegetable acids are not 

 formed immediately by the combination of all 

 their atomic constituents together; but that 

 they consist of certain binary or ternary com- 

 binations combined together. For example, we 

 might suppose one of these acids formed by the 

 union of 



OXYGEN. CARBON. HYDROGEN. 



1 atom carbonic acid . = 2 + 1+0 



1 atom carbonic oxide . =1 + 14-0 



2 toms olefiant gas . =0 + 2+2 



3 + 4+2 



and the other of 



1 atom oxalic acid 3 + 2 +0 



2 atoms olefiant gas =0 + 2 + 2 



3 + 4 + 2 



for such combinations would give the atomic 

 proportions, and yet they might constitute com- 

 pounds possessed of very different properties. 

 These constituents are not given from any idea 

 that they constitute the true secondary elements 

 of the acids in question, but only to help to 

 enable the reader to conceive how two acids 

 may have the same elements, and yet possess 



