18 Prof. W. A. Miller on Chemical Nomenclature. 



If therefore an acceptable term for the class now known as 

 anhydrides can be suggested, one principal difficulty will disap- 

 pear : for these bodies, might not the term oxyl be introduced ? 

 If this be adopted, SO 3 would be sulphuric oxyl; N 2 5 nitric 

 oxyl ; N 2 O 3 , nitrous oxyl ; CO 2 , carbonic oxyl ; and so on. 



There is no need to disturb the meaning which the word base 

 has long possessed. Berzelius's definition of a base as an elec- 

 tro-positive oxide sufficiently expresses its nature ; and K 2 0, 

 CaO, and (NH 4 ) 2 would still be bases as at present. The 

 formula (CaO, CO 2 ) would represent calcic carbonate as a com- 

 pound of a base and an oxyl. 



But if the application of the term base continue to be limited 

 to the class originally represented by it, another term will be 

 needed to express the member of the salt which occupies the 

 position of calcium indicated by the formula for calcic carbonate, 

 Ca, CO 3 . For this purpose the term basyl, suggested by Mr. 

 Graham many years ago, and since extensively used in this sense, 

 is well adapted. Calcium is*then the basyl in calcic carbonate. 



We now want a word to represent the other portion of the 

 salt which is electrically opposed to the basyl ; and here we might 

 probably adopt with advantage a term suggested by one used by 

 the late Professor Daniell. 



If the metal or electro-positive portion of a salt, such as hy- 

 drogen or ammonium, be termed its basyl, we might term the 

 electro-negative portion the oxion of the salt, each oxion being, 

 when necessary, distinguished by a name derived from the acid 

 of the salt. Ca, CO 3 would then be a salt consisting of the basyl 

 calcium and of the oocion CO 3 , which might be termed car- 

 bion ; Fe", SO 4 would be a salt with the basyl ferrosum, and the 

 oxion, SO 4 , or sulphion; Na 2 SO 3 would be a salt with the basyl 

 sodium, and the oxion, SO 3 , which in this case would be sulpho- 

 sion } indicative of its relation to sulphurous acid. The nitrates, 

 upon a similar view of their constitution, would consist of a me- 

 tallic basyl with NO 3 , nitrion; the nitrites would contain nitro- 

 sion, NO 2 ; the acetates acetion } C 2 H 3 2 ; the oxalates oxalion, 

 C 2 O 4 ; and so on. 

 Basyls. Oxions. Basyls. Oxions. 



(Ag, NO 3 ) . Silver nitrate, 

 (K, NO 2 ) . Potassic nitrite. 

 (Mg, SO 4 ) . Magnesic sulphate. 



(Na 2 , SO 3 ) . Disodic sulphite. 



(Pb, 2C 2 H 3 2 ). Plumbic diacetate. 

 (Ca, C 2 O 4 ) . Calcic oxalate. 



In describing the decompositions of many salts, we are at pre- 

 sent obliged to use much circuitous statement for want of terms 

 corresponding to those now suggested. In so simple a case as 

 the displacement of lead from a solution of plumbic diacetate 

 by zinc in preparing the " lead tree," we are obliged to say zinc 

 displaces the lead from its combination with the other elements 



