The ancient chemists knew hardly any of the salts formed by the combinations of acetous acid with the salifiable bases, except the acetites of potash, soda, ammoniac, copper, and lead. Mr Cadet discovered the acetite of arsenic[47]; Mr Wenzel, the Dijon academicians Mr de Lassone, and Mr Proust, made us acquainted with the properties of the other acetites. From the property which acetite of potash possesses, of giving out ammoniac in distillation, there is some reason to suppose, that, besides charcoal and hydrogen, the acetous radical contains a small proportion of azote, though it is not impossible but the above production of ammoniac may be occasioned by the decomposition of the potash.
Table of the Combinations of Acetic Acid with the Salifiable Bases, in the order of affinity.
| Bases. | Neutral Salts. | ||
| Barytes | Acetat of | barytes. | |
| Potash | potash. | ||
| Soda | soda. | ||
| Lime | lime. | ||
| Magnesia | magnesia. | ||
| Ammoniac | ammoniac. | ||
| Oxyd of | zinc | zinc. | |
| manganese | manganese. | ||
| iron | iron. | ||
| lead | lead. | ||
| tin | tin. | ||
| cobalt | cobalt. | ||
| copper | copper. | ||
| nickel | nickel. | ||
| arsenic | arsenic. | ||
| bismuth | bismuth. | ||
| mercury | mercury. | ||
| antimony | antimony. | ||
| silver | silver. | ||
| gold | gold. | ||
| platina | platina. | ||
| Argill | argill. | ||
Note.—All these salts were unknown to the ancients; and even those chemists who are most versant in modern discoveries, are yet at a lose whether the greater part of the salts produced by the oxygenated acetic radical belong properly to the class of acetites, or to that of acetats.—A.
Sect. XXXIV.—Observations upon Acetic Acid, and its Combinations.
We have given to radical vinegar the name of acetic acid, from supposing that it consists of the same radical with that of the acetous acid, but more highly saturated with oxygen. According to this idea, acetic acid is the highest degree of oxygenation of which the hydro-carbonous radical is susceptible; but, although this circumstance be extremely probable, it requires to be confirmed by farther, and more decisive experiments, before it be adopted as an absolute chemical truth. We procure this acid as follows: Upon three parts acetite of potash or of copper, pour one part of concentrated sulphuric acid, and, by distillation, a very highly concentrated vinegar is obtained, which we call acetic acid, formerly named radical vinegar. It is not hitherto rigorously proved that this acid is more highly oxygenated than the acetous acid, nor that the difference between them may not consist in a different proportion between the elements of the radical or base.
Table of the Combinations of Succinic Acid with the Salifiable Bases, in the order of Affinity.
| Bases. | Neutral Salts. | ||
| Barytes | Succinat of | barytes. | |
| Lime | lime. | ||
| Potash | potash. | ||
| Soda | soda. | ||
| Ammoniac | ammoniac. | ||
| Magnesia | magnesia. | ||
| Argill | argill. | ||
| Oxyd | of zinc | zinc. | |
| iron | iron. | ||
| manganese | manganese. | ||
| cobalt | cobalt. | ||
| nickel | nickel. | ||
| lead | lead. | ||
| tin | tin. | ||
| copper | copper. | ||
| bismuth | bismuth. | ||
| antimony | antimony. | ||
| arsenic | arsenic. | ||
| mercury | mercury. | ||
| silver | silver. | ||
| gold | gold. | ||
| platina | platina. | ||
Note.—All the succinats were unknown to the ancient chemists.—A.