CHEMICAL PRINCIPLES. 
129 
V. 
jIn explanatory Statement of the Notions or Principles vt>oa 
which the systematic Arrangement is foutuled, which was 
adopted ns the Basis of an Essay on Chemiral Nomenclature. 
By Professor J. Bekzelius, ts’e. Received from the 
Author ; in continuation from p. 106 of our XXXVth Volume. 
IV. On the Combinations of Tellurium with Oxigen, Hidrogtm, 
and the Saline Bases. 
RITTER, some years ago, discovered lliat telluriom ('oinbinatiom 
employed as a negative conductor in the operation *** 
ol the pile, combines willi hydrogen, and lorms a brownish 
powder, not having a metallic appearance. Davy afterwards 
discovered, that lellui ium, saturated with hydrogen, forms a 
peeuhar gas, very much resembling sulphuret of hydrogen in 
its hinell and other properties. It follows, from the electro- 
shemical views we have giveti in this present treatise, that 
the principle of acidity is not in oxigen, but that it arises prin- 
cipally from the combustibla ra<ltcals of borhes. Now, Mr, 
Davy having found, that (he new gas of feilurium and hidro- 
gen (lellureium hydrogenii) has the properly of combining 
With caustic alkalis, as well as the sulphuret of hydrogen, it 
follows, of necessity, that the oxide of tellurium must like- 
wise be capable of combi.ning in the form ot acid with alkalies 
and saline bases in geiier tl. It was from these considerations 
that in my essay upon nomenclature I ranged tellurium with 
the most electro-negative metals, without, however, having 
an opportunity of examining more coriectly the pro|x*riies of 
the oxide of this metal. 1 he kindness of Mr. Geyer after- 
wards afforded me an opportunity tp enter into this examina- 
tion, Mr. Geyer made me a present of three grammes of me- 
tallic tellurium, which had formed part of the portion of tel- 
lurium which Muller Von Reichenstein formerly sent to Berg- 
man, in order that the latter might determine whether this 
body was a particular metal or no. 
I found 
