REFUTATION OF THE SALT RADICAL THEORY. 201 
ART. XLIX. — AN EFFORT TO REFUTE THE ARGUMENTS 
ADVANCED IN FAVOR OF THE EXISTENCE, IN THE 
AMPHIDE SALTS, OF RADICALS, CONSISTING, LIKE 
CYANOGEN, OF MORE THAN ONE ELEMENT. 
BY ROBERT HARE, M.D. 
Professor of Chemistry in the University of Pennsylvania. ' 
(Concluded.) 
40. As respects the three phosphates of water, P0 5 +HG, 
P0 5 + 2H0, P0 5 + 3HO, the argument used by Dr. Kane 
cuts both ways; although, by its employer, only that edge 
is noticed which suits his own purpose. It is alleged that 
the difference of properties, in these phosphates, is totally 
inexplicable upon the idea of three degrees of "hydration;" 
but that all difficulty vanishes, when they are considered as 
three different compound salt radicals, oxyphosphionides of 
hydrogen, P0 6 +H, P0 7 +2H, P0 8 + 3H. 
41. To me the formation of three compound radicals, by the 
reiterated addition of an atom, of which five of the same 
kind were previously in the mass to which the addition is 
made, seems more anomalous, mysterious, and improbable., 
than the existence of three compounds of phosphoric acid 
with water, in which the presence of the different propor- 
tions of water is the consequence of some change in the 
constitution of the elements which is referred to iso- 
merism. 
42. No reason can be given why the addition of one, 
two, and three atoms of oxygen, to the "radical," should 
convey a power to hold a proportional number of atoms of 
hydrogen. Such an acquisition of power is an anomaly. 
43. In the case of radicals formed with hydrogen in dif- 
ferent proportions, as in acetyl and ethyl, formyl and me- 
18* 
