202 REFUTATION OF THE SALT RADICAL THEORY, 
thyl, the number of atoms of oxygen in the peroxides, is 
the inverse of the hydrogen in the radical. 
44. Ethyl, C 4 , H 5 , unites, at most, with one atom of 
oxygen, while acetyle, C 4 , H 3 , takes three atoms to form 
acetic acid, C 4 , H 3 , O 3 . Methyl, C*, H 3 , forms, in like 
manner, only a protoxide, while formyl, C 2 , H, takes three 
atoms of oxygen to constitute formic acid. 
45. Besides the three oxyphosphions, of which the for- 
mulas are above stated, there would have to be another in 
the phosphites; so that instead of the hydrated acid, or 
phosphite of water, being P0 3 -f HO, it would have to be 
P0 4 + H, a fourth oxyphosphionide of hydrogen. 
46. Respecting the new principles which I have been 
contesting, Dr. Kane alleges, "that the elegance and sim- 
plicity with which the laws of saline combination may be 
traced from them is remarkable," because he conceives, 
that without an appeal to those principles, the fact that the 
number of equivalents of acid in a salt are proportionable to 
the number of equivalents of oxygen in the base, would be 
inexplicable. 
47. Thus, when the base is a protoxide, we have one 
atom of the protoxide of hydrogen to take its place; when 
the base is a sesquioxide (two of radical and three of oxy- 
gen,) three atoms of the protoxide of hydrogen take its 
place: if the base be a bioxide, two atoms of the protoxide 
of hydrogen take its place. 
48. I have already adverted to the existence of certain 
chemical laws, inexplicable in the present state of human 
knowledge. Among these is that of the necessity of oxi- 
dation to enable metallic radicals to combine with acids. 
But as a similar mystery exists as respects the adventitious 
property of combining with radicals, which results from 
the acquisition of an additional atom of oxygen by any of 
the compounds hitherto considered as anhydrous acids, the 
new doctrine has in that respect no pre-eminent claim to 
credence. 
