56 
SIR B. C. BRODIE ON THE CALCULUS OE CHEMICAL OPERATIONS. 
was of this order. How would the Laputians proceed with the scientific construction 
of the symbols of the units of matter"? Two units of marsh-gas (they would say) are 
identical with three units of hydrogen and a unit of acetylene. Having solved a similar 
problem in the case of ammonia [I. Sec. VII. (8)], they have no difficulty in at once 
writing down as follows the symbols of these units on the two hypotheses a and a 2 
respectively : — 
Hypothesis a. 
Hypothesis a 2 . 
Weight in grm. 
Hydrogen . 
a 2 
0-089 
Marsh-gas . . , 
ct 2 z 
d'v 
0-704 
Acetylene . . . 
az 2 
v 2 
1-161 
The simple weight y, which appears in the symbols as expressed on hypothesis a 2 , 
weighs 0 58 grm. 
We shall suppose our chemists to be in possession of those substances of which the 
matter is identical with the matter of acetylene, hydrogen, oxygen, chlorine, and our 
other elements, the material of an ample chemistry. Proceeding with the construction 
of the symbols of the units of matter on the two hypotheses, they would find both to 
be applicable as indicated in the following examples : — 
Hypothesis a. Hypothesis a 2 . 
Benzol 
a 3 z 6 
y 6 
Olefiant gas 
oc 2 z 2 
aV 
Allylene 
a 2 * 3 
ay 3 
Methyl 
«V 
aV 
Propylene 
a 3 z 3 
aV 
Ethyl 
aV 
aV 
Allyl 
a 5 z 6 
aV 
Formic acid 
az' 2 
ay | 2 
Methylic alcohol 
a 2 z^ 
a 3 y£ 
Oxide of ethylene .... 
a 2 y 2 £ 
Alcohol 
a 3 z 2 £ 
aV| 
Benzylic alcohol ..... 
a bs 7 <£ 
av 7 t~ 
Acetic acid 
«V £ 2 
«V £ 2 
Glycol 
aV ^ 2 
Glycerine 
aV | 2 
a 5 v 3 £ 2 
Anhydrous acetic acid 
aV £ 3 
«V £ 3 
Acetic peroxide 
a 3 z 4 % 4 
aV § 4 
Lactic acid 
aVg 3 
Chloride of methyl .... 
a 2 vc 
55 59 .... 
a 2 zy 2 
avc 2 
Chloroform ....... 
vc 3 
