Chemical method : notation, classification and nomenclature / by Auguste Laurent... ; translated by William Odling...

  • Laurent, Auguste, 1807-1853.
Date:
1855
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Chemical method : notation, classification and nomenclature / by Auguste Laurent... ; translated by William Odling... Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

    19/414 (page 15)
    it will be iidvisnble for me to indicitc briefly, the [)lan I have pursued in its composition. In the establishment of a chemical system, we proceed between two stumbling blocks, facts and their causes. By relying wholly upon the first, we are induced to represent the composition of ammoniacal alum by the formula S''0''N2I-r''Al'', to accept the names, ruby, emerald, chrichtonite, aldehyde, mer- captan, chloral, &c., and to distribute the substances designated, in the class of precious stones, or of schorls, spars, balsams, essences, resins, colouring matters, &c. By setting out from the idea of causality, or of atoms and their arrangement, we must determine in any particular body, which of its atoms are combined simply, which of them are combined intimately, whether they are copulated or conjugated. In this way w^e are led to represent the composition of epidote by this formula. 2[3 (Si 0-^ + 2 E0) + 2 (3 Si 0^ + 2 0=^)] + 3[2 (Si 0V2 R0)+ (3 Si 02 + 2 R2 0»)]. to create the names nib-ite of oxide of ico-deca-tesseryle, of sub- hypochlorite of susporrindinous oxide ; instead of alum, we must say, atolan-telmin-ojafin-weso; mercaptan becomes lifavinaf, and chlo- ranilam, ama-chloro-phenusic acid. Lastly, we are led to the crea- tion of as many as a dozen different formulee, and a dozen imagi- nary beings for the representation of one of the most simple of all bodies, namely, acetic acid. But intermediate between facts and their causes, we have generalities and laws. Would it not be possible, by relying upon them, to establish a method, that is to say, a system of formulce, a classification and a nomenclature, having the advantages of systems based upon facts, and of those based upon hypotheses, but without their inconveniences. This is what I have attempted to do in this work, by endea- vouring to render it as much as possible independent of all hypo- theses. Such of them as are to be met with are isolated, and may be left entirely on one side, without any detriment to the progress of the work-