46 On Oxalic Acid. 



Though tb-e process of reasoning, which led to this ana- 

 lysis of sugar, is too hypothetical to be trusted implicitly, 

 yet I am persuaded that it is to a certain degree correct, and 

 that the result obtained does not deviate very far from the 

 truth. If we compare Lavoisier's statement of the compo- 

 sition of sugar obtained in a different manner, though by a 

 mode of reasoning not less hypothetical, we shall be surprised 

 at its near coincidence with mine. His numbers are 



Oxygen 64 



Carbon 28 



Hydrogen 8 



100 



It is true that two different hypotheses may lead to the same 

 result, and vet be both wrong ; but this becomes infinitely 

 improbable in the present case, when we consider that the 

 proportion of carbon, which I assign to sugar, must at all 

 events be nearly correct. 



We have no direct method of determining the weight of 

 an 'integrant particle of sugar; but if the accuracy of the 

 preceding analysis be admitted, it furnishes us with an in- 

 direct one, which cannot be rejected ; for it is clear, that 

 the atoms of oxygen, carbon, and hydrogen, will be to each 

 other respectively, as the numbers <U, Jf-, \ ; and these 

 numbers reduced to their lowest terms become 5, 3, 4, 

 nearly, which being primes with respect to each other, must 

 represent the number of atoms of which an integrant par- 

 ticle of sugar is composed. Sugar then is a compound of 

 12 atoms; namely, five of oxygen, three of _ carbon, and 

 four of hydrogen ; the weight of an integrant particle of it 

 is 47*5, and its symbol is 5 w + 3 c -f 4 h. It differs from 

 oxalic acid merely in containing an additional atom of oxy- 

 gen and two of hydrogen. If we had any method of re- 

 moving these substances, without altering the proportion of 

 the other constituents, we should obtain a much greater 

 quantity of oxalic acid from sugar than we can at present ; 

 but nitric acid acts by removing one-half of the carbon in 

 the form of carbonic acid ; the sugar deprived of this, re- 

 solves itself into oxalic acid and water. Suppose two par- 

 1 tides 



