the fiict alluded to Js more satisfactorily accounted for by ad-- 

 mitting thataxrre ^structioil of ozoiie dej>eiuls upon 'its 



. dcconiposlLion, than by ascribing it to a change of state 6f 

 oxygen by heat. M. Marignac is inclined to consider elec- 



Ijtficity as the engendering cause of tlie ozone ))ro(Uiced by 

 means bi phosphorus, and thinks the electricity necessaiy 

 for the })roduction of the odoriferous principle to be dev'6- 

 loped in consequence of the chemical action taking place be- 

 tween the oxygen of the atmosphere and phosphorus. On this 

 point I made many experiments some years ago, because I 



" thought it possible that electricity had something to do with 

 the chemical generation of ozone. I did not however succeed 

 in tracing any sign of electricity developed under the circunl- 



" stances mentioned. Now as the most powerful discharges ef- 

 fected l)y our electrical arrangements produce quantities pf 

 ozone immeasurably minute, when compared to those which *a 

 small piece of phosphorus is able to generate at the same tinie, 

 I doubt as yet very much the conclusion that electricity hks 

 something to do with the generation of chemical ozone; and' I 

 doubt it so much the more as 1 am not convinced at all that aiiy 

 chemical action is accompanied by a development of electricity. 

 Before concluding, I take the liberty to suggest a simple 

 method, by means of which the question regarding the nature 

 of ozone may be decided in a satisfactory manner. From the 

 notice above given. On a Peculiar Method of preparing tfte 

 Iletl Ferrocyanide of Potassium, it appears that under fa- 

 vourable circumstances so much ozone was formed in two bal- 

 loons only as to enable me to transform by that odoriferous 

 principle 5 grammes of the yellow prussiate into the red one. 

 This fact proves, that in the case mentioned a quantity of 

 ozone had been produced sufficient to be ascertained by weigHt. 



. Supposing the atmospheres of a number of balloons cha^'ged 

 with ozone as strongly as possible, let those atmospheres 

 pass through tubes containing either chloride of calcium or 

 asbestos drenched with strong sulphuric acid, so as to de- 

 prive the ozonized air of its vapour as completely as possible. 

 Cause the dried atmospheres to go through a narrow tuhie, 

 heated so as to destroy entirely the ozone passing through \t. 

 Now if the view I have taken of the nature of ozone be coV- 



^ rect, under the circumstances mentioned, that odoriferolis 

 substance will be decomposed into water and oxygen ; aiid 

 having in our balloons a measurable quantity of ozone, it 

 follows that the quantity of water resulting from the decom- 

 position of the ozone must also be large enough to allow of 

 being collected by hygroscopic substances and ascertained by 



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