CHEMICAL SCIENCE. 259 



electrical influence, and is so powerful an agent of oxidation even at 

 ordinary temperature, as specially destined to that end. His experi- 

 ments prove that air containing 1-6,000 of ozone can disinfect 540 

 times its volume of air produced from highly putrid meat : or that air 

 containing 1-3, 240, 000 of ozone can disinfect an equal volume of air so 

 corrupted. Such experiments show how little appreciable by weight 

 miasmata may be, which are yet sensible to the smell, and how small is 

 the proportio'n of ozone necessary for the destruction of all the mias- 

 mata produced by putrifaction of organic matter and diffused in the 

 atmosphere. We may admit that the electrical discharges which occur 

 incessantly in different parts of the atmosphere and determine there 

 the formation of ozone, purify the air by ridding it of oxidizable 

 miasmata, at the same time that these are destroyed by ozone, the 

 oro-anic miasmata cause its own disappearance, and prevent dangerous 

 accumulation of it. The opinion that storms purify the air may not 

 be without foundation, as a large quantity of ozone is then produced. 

 In the author's experiments, he has always found a large proportion of 

 ozone in the vicinity of the stormy clouds of Jura ; and the air ozon- 

 ized by phosphorus by experiment, gives forth a similar smell to that 

 perceived amidst storms in mountainous regions. It is very propable 

 that in certain localities the balance between the ozone and the mias- 

 mata does not prevail and disease may be the consequence. As a 

 general rule, however, numerous experiments have shown that the 

 air contains free ozone, so that no free oxidisable miasmata can there 

 exist M. Schonbein recommends that the atmosphere should be 

 tested for ozone, in localities and at periods where fevers and other 

 forms of disease prevail, so that the results of accumulated observations 

 may be obtained. Arch, des Sciences. 



Dr. Moffatt, of England, in a paper read before the Meteorological So- 

 ciety, shows by a series of very elaborate tables, that an apparent connex- 

 ion is discoverable between the first appearance, increase, decrease and 

 disappearance of atmospheric ozone with the decrease and increase of the 

 readings of the barometer and thermometer and the state of the weather 

 generally. Also that prevalent diseases form groups corresponding with 

 certain meteorological conditions. In the formation of these tables Dr. 

 Moffatt has paid strict attention to all the lesser fluctuations of the barom- 

 eter and thermometer, being convinced that there exists a great necessity 

 for so doing, from the slightest variations in the reading of the barometer 

 being followed by a change in the direction of the wind, and the 

 appearance and increase, or decrease and disappearance, of ozone. 

 Ozone Dr. Moffatt considers to be intimately connected with falls of 

 rain, hail, snow, and sleet, and dynamic electricity, but that it is not 

 necessary for any of these to occur for ozone to be produced ; for if 

 the barometer reading increases, and a current of air sets in from the 

 northern points of the compass after or with any of these, ozone will 

 disappear, but if the barometer reading decreases and the wind comes 

 from southward it appears to increase in proportion to the decrease of 

 the reading of the barometer and the force of the current. The fall 

 of temperature accompanying ozone he thinks is possibly attributable 

 23 



