ON CHEMICAL NOMENCLATURE. 3 
tartar, and cream of tartar, were associated with the fuming 
liquor of Libavius, the butyraceous chlorides of zinc, anti- 
mony, and bismuth, plumbum corneum, luna cornea, fluor 
spar, and the acid fluorides of silicon and boron. 1 objected 
also that composition could not be resorted to consistently 
with his classification ; since, agreeably to it, a salt might be 
either a binary compound of a halogen body with a radical, or 
consist of two binary compounds, each containing the same 
amphigen body. 
To the terms acid and base, as employed in his nomencla- 
ture, I objected, that neither by the celebrated author, nor by 
any other chemist had any definition been adhered to which 
could, consistently with his plan, restrict the meaning of those 
appellations to the binary compounds formed by the union of 
his amphigen bodies with radicals. 
Acidity and basidity * had sometimes been distinguished by 
an appeal to properties, sometimes to composition, butto neither 
had there been any consistent attention. In order to demon- 
strate the total neglect of properties latterly displayed, it was only 
necessary to contrast substances bearing generally the name of 
acids; as for instance sulphuric acid with rock crystal, acetic 
acid with tannin, and prussic acid with margaric ; or to 
contemplate simultaneously the admission of the hydracids 
formed with the halogen bodies into the class of acids, while 
alleged incapable of combining with bases, with the exclusion 
from that class of nitrous acid, upon the plea of the same in- 
capacity. 
In reference to neglect of composition in forming the class of 
acids, it will be sufficient to advert to the association in that 
class, of compounds formed with radicals both by the halogen 
and amphigen bodies ; so that the halogen bodies are in one 
case producers of salts, in the other producers of acids; in 
one case act as supporters, acidifiers, or electro-negative prin- 
ciples, in another as radicals to the comparatively electro- 
* For the use of the words basidity and salidity, I have no authority; but 
conceive that through their analogy with acidity their meaning is so ob- 
vious as to make it expedient to employ them. 
