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ACIDS.

FORMATION OF ACIDS.

ACIBS.

PART LXXIII.

FORMATION OF ACIDS.

According to the theory of Lavoisier all acids consist of acertain base united to oxigen, which is considered to be thecause of acidity. We are acquainted with the bases of the sul-phuric, nitric, phosphoric, arsenic, &c. acids: we know thathidrogen, carbon, and oxigen, form the bases of the citric, ma-lic, oxalic, acetic, gallic, and all the rest of the acids calledvegetalle-, and that the same substances, in combination with ni-trogen, constitute those called animal acids, such as prussic,&c. But we are totally unacquainted with the radicals of themuriatic, boracic, and fluoric acids, they must therefore be ana-logically considered as simple bodies in the present state of ourknowledge.