fi Pretended CompofitioH of Atoiic Gas. 



II. 



"0« the Luminous Appearance faid to be exhibited by Phofphorus in Azotic Gas. 

 By Dr. Alexander Nicholas ScHERES^ Counfelkr of the Mines to his Serene Highnefs 



Ai 



the Duke of Saxen Weimar*. 



jr the time when the principles of the new theory were newly difcufled, the enquiries 

 of chcmifts were employed upon fome of its chief aflertions. Befides examining the expe- 

 riments that metallic oxyds do emit oxygen gas during their redu£lion, attention was alfo 

 paid to another, by which it was obferved, that the combuftion of bodies in oxygen 

 gas is always accompanied by a total abforption. 



Mr. Goettling, who exerted his induftry on fuch experiments, made ufe of the apparatus 

 he employed in feveral experiments of the fame nature. He accidentally obferved, that 

 the phofphorus continues to (hlne for fome time in the azotic gas, which remains after its 

 •combuftion in atmofpheric air. What he principally obferves on this head is, that phof- 

 phorus fliines very ftrongly in azotic gas, even more fo than in atmofpherical air ; that it 

 is converted into phofphoric acid by this procefs ; and that the azotic gas totally difappears. 

 Hence he was led to infer, that azotic gas muft contain oxygen, as well as the oxygen gas 

 itfelf does. — But if fo, what is the difference between thefe two fpecies of gas ? This 

 queftion was apparently folved by another experiment he made. Phofphorus does not 

 fliine fo well in oxygen gas at a low temperature, as it does in the azotic ; and when phof- 

 phorus gives light in atmofpherical air, it is always with extrication of heat ; whereas the 

 light is not attended with heat in azotic gas. He concludes.thereforc, that the azotic gas 

 confifts of oxygen combined with light, in the fame manner as, on the other hand, the 

 oxygen gas confifts of that principle combined with caloric ; and moreover that caloric has 

 a ftronger affinity to oxygen than light has. — On this Mr. Goettling builds an entirely new 

 theory of chemiflry, from the confideration that the new mixture of azotic gas, which he 

 pretends to hive difcovered, does not admit of the hitherto adopted way of explaining its 

 influence. 



Mr. Goettling has explained thefe fafts at large In his Beytrag zur Berichtigung der anti- 

 fhlogijlifchen Chemie. Weimar 1794. This work was univerfally well received, and fome 

 were inclined to give it full credit without further examination. Mr. Goettling himfelf has 

 publicly explained his new theory, and adapted the whole of his chemical ledures to that 

 fyftem. A few philofophers only ventured to offer their doubts concerning it. Among 

 thefe are Dr.Eimbke; Intdligenzhlat der allg. Hit. Zeit. 1794, No. 92, and Yelin ; Erlang. 

 gel. Zeit. 1794, No. 8o. The former obferved, that when phofphorus had ceafed to fliine in 

 atmofpheric air, it would afford no more light in the remaining azotic gas. The fccond 

 found, that phofphorus, after undergoing a very long continued heat in atmofpherical air, 

 does alfo leave behind an aeriform refidue, in which the phofphorus will by no means 

 fiiine any longer. 



At this time I had commenced a public courfe of ledures on Chemiftry. I therefore 

 thought myfelf obliged to make new enquiries for the purpofe of giving an impartial ac- 



* Received from the Author. 



count 



