212 ANNUAL OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY. 



the author considers tlu> moloonlc of ozone as consisting of three 

 atoms of 00, () ofcupvin;^ the same space as the two. Troatcid 

 Avilh iodide of jiotassiuin, ozone loses one atom of O without any 

 chan<;e of volume ; submitted to heat, the volume is increased by 

 one-half. Thus the theoretical density of ozone should be one 

 and a-half times that of ordinary oxygen, or 1.G58; and the au- 

 tlior considers he has experimeutaliy demonstrated that such is 

 the fact. 



Dr. B. W. Richardson, in a paper read before the British Asso- 

 ciation for the Advancement of Scii-nce, at its late meeting, 

 observed that the following arc the ri'lial)le facts known up to this 

 time respecting ozone : 1. Ozone, in a natural state, is always pres- 

 ent in the air in minute proportions, viz., one part in ten thousand. 

 2. It is destroyed in large towns, ami, with special rapidity, in 

 crowded ami iikhy localities. 3. Ozone gives to oxygen prop- 

 erties which enable it to support life. In this respect it acts like 

 heat; its etVects are destroyed by great heat. 4. Ozone, ditTused 

 through air in miiuite quantities, i)roduces, on inhalation, distinct 

 symptoms of acute catarrh, o. Wiicn animals are subjected to 

 ozone in large quantities, the symptoms produced, at a tempera- 

 ture of 73°, are those of inflammation of the throat and nuicous 

 meml)rancs generally, and at last congestive bronchitis, which, in 

 carnivorous animals, are often rapidly fatal. 6. When animals 

 are subjected for a long period to ozone in small proportions, the 

 agent acts dilferently, according to the animal. The carnivora 

 die, after some hours, from disorganization of the blood separa- 

 tion; but the herbivora will live for weeks, and Avill suffer from 

 no acute disease. 7. The question whether the presence of ozone 

 in the air can produce actual disease, must be answered cautiously. 

 Science has yet no actual demonstrative evidence on the point. 

 But the facts approach to demonstration that catarrh is intluced 

 by this agent. AH else is as yet speculative. 8. During periods 

 of intense heat of weather, the ozone loses its active jJoAver. 9. 

 On dead organic matter undergoing putrefaction, ozone acts rap- 

 idly ; it entirely deodorizes by breaking up the ammoniacal pro- 

 ducts of decomposition. At the same time it hastens the organic 

 destruction. lU. There is an opposite condition of air in which 

 the oxygen is rendered negative in its action, as compared with 

 the air when it is charged with ozone. Air can thus be rendered 

 negative by merely subjecting it, over and over again, to animals for 

 respiration. The purification of such air from carbonic acid and 

 other tangible imijurities does not render it callable of supporting 

 healthy lite ; but ozone restores the power. In a negative condition 

 of air, the purification of the organic matter is greatly modified, and 

 the offensive products are increased. Wounds become unhealthy 

 and heal slowly in such negative air. 11. There is no demonstrative 

 evidence, as yet, that any diseases are actually caused by this neg- 

 ative condition of air; but the inference is fair, that diseases 

 which show a putrefactive tendency are influenced injuriously by 

 a negative condition of the ox3-genof the air. It is also probable that, 

 during this state, decomposing organic poisonous matters become 

 more injurious. 12. As ozone is used up in crowded localities, 

 and as it is essential that ozone should be constantly supplied in 



