470 



GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. 



combinations of 1 atom of these acids with 2 

 atoms of base. 



In the case of all those acids which contain 

 only 1 atom of oxygen, all the subsalts com- 

 posed of 1 atom of the acid united to 2 atoms of 

 base, the law will also in some sort hold; for 

 the atoms of the oxygen in such acids being 1, 

 this number will always be a submultiple of 2, 

 the number of atoms of oxygen in 2 atoms of 

 base. This is the case with the following acids : 



Silicic, Hyposulphurous, 



Phosphorous, Oxide of tellurium. 



It is only in the subsalts of acids containing an 

 odd number of atoms of oxygen, that exceptions 

 to the law can exist. It is to them, therefore, 

 that we must have recourse when we wish to 

 determine whether this empyrical law of Berze- 

 lius be founded in nature or not. Now, there 

 are thirteen acids, the integrant particles of 

 which contain an odd number of atoms of oxy- 

 gen. The following table exhibits the names of 

 these acids, together with the number of atoms 

 of oxygen in each. 



