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ON THE EELATION BETWEEN BOILING-POINT AND COIMPOSITION. 
pounds, and indeed for the more important ones, this relation assumes the form of a 
simple law, which, more especially for the monatomic alcohols C„ O2, for the mono- 
basic acids Cn Hjn O4, and for the compound ethers O4, generated by the union 
of the two previous classes, is proved in the most general manner ; so much so, indeed, 
that in many cases the determination of the boiling-point furnishes most material 
assistance in fixing the true character and position of a compound. And it deserves 
more especially to be noticed, that the simplest and most comprehensive relations have 
been recognized for those classes of organic compounds which have been longest known 
and most accurately investigated ; and that even for those classes, the generality and 
simplicity of the relation, on account of numerous bo iling -points incon-ectly observed at 
an earlier date, appeared in the commencement doubtful, and could be more fully 
acknowledged only after a considerable number of new determinations. Thus we are 
justified in hoping that in other classes also of compounds in which simple and com- 
prehensive relations have not hitherto been traced, these relations will become per- 
ceptible as soon as the verification of the boiling-points of terms akeady known, and 
the examination of new terms, shall have laid a broader foundation for our conclusions. 
