Experiments and observations relating to the analysis of atmospherical air; also, farther experiments relating to the generation of air from water. Read before the American Philosophical Society, Feb. 5 and 19, 1796 ... To which are added, considerations on the doctrine of phlogiston, and the decomposition of water / [Joseph Priestley].

  • Joseph Priestley
Date:
1796
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Experiments and observations relating to the analysis of atmospherical air; also, farther experiments relating to the generation of air from water. Read before the American Philosophical Society, Feb. 5 and 19, 1796 ... To which are added, considerations on the doctrine of phlogiston, and the decomposition of water / [Joseph Priestley]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    that the fame would be the cafe if it were coil- fined in any other kind of air, or in vacuo. It, therefore, feems natural to infer, that * the fame principle which confritutes inflammable air was from the firfl; exhaling from the mixture, but that it did not actually form inflammable air till there was no more dephlogiflicated air for it to unite with, and thereby form phlogifticated air. The experiments from which this conclufion is drawn are recited in my former publications, and I have lately repeated them with particular attention, and the fame refult. I have alfo lately obferved that by heating bones made black by burning wdthout accefs of air, in atmofpherical air,- there is, after the period of greateft diminution, an increafe of the quantity, and that it is then found to contain a mixture of inflammable air. That fomething is really emitted from the iron filings and fulphur, when it is in a ftate of dimi- nifhing air, is evident from the ftrong and offen- iive fme.ll which at that time this mixture has. Flowers alfo, and efpecially thofe which have the ftrongefl fmell, I have obferved to phlogifH- cate air. Moreover, the iron filings and fulphur when nearly dry, emit a vifible denfe vapour, which appears by its fmell to be vitriolic acid gir, which I have obferved to have the power pi diminifhing and phlogiflicating air; owing, no doubt, in part, to its imbibing the dephlogif- A 3 ticated