Experiments and observations on the atomic theory, and electrical phenomena / By William Higgins.

  • Higgins, William, 1763-1825.
Date:
1814
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Experiments and observations on the atomic theory, and electrical phenomena / By William Higgins. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    14/194 (page 4)
    that the compound which they formed was an acid. These circumstances led me to enquire, very minutely, and upon new principles, into both doctrines at this critical period, and the work which I published on the subject was entitled “A comparative view of the phlogistic and anti-phlogistic the- ories/’ The following quotation from the preface of that work will give a clear idea of the nature of the controversy. “ The present controversy between the philosophers of the day rests upon the following questions. 1st, Is water com- posed of oxygen and hydrogen ? 2d, Does ^the union of oxygen to different bodies depend upon one inflammable principle, common to all combustible bodies ? Or, in other words, do all bodies that burn or oxydate, such as charcoal, sulphur, phos- phorus, metals, azote, &c. contain the matter of hydrogen as one of their consti- tuent principles ? One would suppose if these substances were composed of two elementary principles, namely, peculiar