Gorham's Elements of Chemistry, 339 



of authority were necessary, we should not be afraid to be 

 found in such company. 



We are aware that the new theory of chlorine has the ad- 

 vantage of the old in some important points, and that the 

 old is liable to some formidable objections, but we cannot 

 help thinking that it will ultimately appear that there is 

 something yet to be discovered on this subject, which will 

 evince that it is not now fully understood by either party, 

 and that light will break in which will clear up the dark pla- 

 ces in both theories, or substitute one which is better than 

 either. At present the state of the subject seems to de- 

 mand caution and reserve, and we are inclined to think that 

 it is still incumbent on a teacher and of course on a writer, 

 to give the double explanations wliich unfortunately are al- 

 most every where equally applicable to the phenomena con- 

 nected with this singular topic. We can discern no dis- 

 advantage in this course, and it is certainly adapted to give a 

 fuller view of the whole ground than if we exhibit one side 

 alone. 



It is not one of the least of the disadvantages of the new 

 view that it has led to a copious list of new names and de- 

 rivatives, thus adding to the onerous burden, which the spirit 

 of neology, so prevalent in modern times, is daily imposing 

 upon us. Thus the student must now learn that muriatic 

 acid is hydro-chloric acid and muriates are hydro-chlorates, 

 Sec. In the same manner the prussic acid (we mention it 

 for illustration and not as being connected with chlorine,) 

 has become the hydro cyanic acid, and the prussiates are 

 hydro cyanates or cyanurets, and in the view of Mr. Porrett 

 the prussic acid should be called the chyazic acid, or the 

 ferruretted chyazic acid, and the compounds chyazates or 

 ferruretted chyazates, &:c. Surely, this multiplication, es- 

 pecially of cumbrous and ill-sounding names, is very un- 

 fortunate and is to be justified only by imperious neces- 

 sity. 



But unfortunately, a new discovery is no sooner made, or 

 supposed to be made, than we have a crop of new terms, 

 grounded of course upon the assumption, that all is correct 

 in the statement of facts ; but perhaps in a short time, an 

 additional discovery or a correction of a former one imposes 

 the necessity of a new series of terms, or of important 

 modifications of former ones, and thus the nomenclature is 



