14 
ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. 
Compounds which consist of radicals only, are distinguished 
by the term uret equivalent to the French ure. Hence car- 
buret^ phosphuret, boruret, silicuret, SfC. 
Of any two binary compounds containing each the same 
basacigen body and forming one compound, the more electro- 
negative is an acid, the other a base. Hence all the electro- 
negative haloid compounds in the Berzelian double salts, are 
acids, and the electro-positive, bases. Where there are two 
such compounds one containing one basacigen atom, the other 
two atoms or one and a half, the former has a termination in 
ous, the latter in ic. As for instance the chlorureplatinoso- 
potassique of Berzelius, is a compound of chloro platinous 
acid, and the chlorobase of potassium, and is the chloro- 
platinite of potassium. The chlorureplatinico-potassique 
of the same author, is the chloroplatinate of potassium* 
By analogy the intelligent reader may easily make these 
examples a clue to designate any other of the double salts of 
Berzelius so as to accord with the plan in question. He 
may have a bromoplatinate or bromoplatinite, a iodoplati- 
nate or iodoplatinite, a fluoplatinate, Sfc; or changing the 
radical a chloroaurate or chloroaurite, a bromoaurate or 
bromoaurite Sj'C. 
The terms amphigen and halogen being employed both 
from expediency, and in honour of their author, we may use 
his terms haloid and amphide, to distinguish the acids or bases 
severally formed by these classes, the abbreviations halo and 
amph, being employed in composition. Thus I designate the 
* In designating salts of the metals proper, as for instance, the 
nitrate of mercury; the idea of the oxydisement of the metal is always 
understood, although usually not expressed. In the instance above 
cited, we actually mean the nitrate of the oxide, or oxybase of mercury. 
By analogy, I here use the term chloroplatinate of potassium, for chloropla- 
tinate of the chlorobase of potassium. It is in fact, well known to Chemists, 
that acids do not unite directly with metals. The only alleged exception 
to this rule, of which I have any knowledge, is that of tellurium and 
sulphuric acid. It is inferred, therefore, that when an acid is combined 
with a metal, the latter must exist in the state of a base formed with the 
basacigen body which enters into the composition of the acid. 
