CHEMISTRY. 195 



neck, a little ether is poured, — just enough to cover the bottom, — 

 and a spiral of red-hot platinum is plunged into the vapors. It is 

 necessary to avoid heating the flask too strongly. The platinum 

 glows until all the ether has been destroyed. The experiment is 

 repeated two or three times, and now the question is to demon- 

 strate that both ozone and antozone are formed in this slow oxida- 

 tion of the ether. The first is easily shown to be present by the 

 iodide of potassium and starch paper. To show the presence of 

 antozone, the flask is rinsed with a small quantity of ether, which 

 will then be sufiiciently charged with peroxide of hydrogen to give 

 clearly the perchromic acid reaction. Some solution of bichromate 

 of potash is placed in a test-tube, and a drop of sulphuric acid 

 added, the ether with which the flask has been rinsed is then 

 poured in, when the ethereal layer becomes colored a beautiful 

 violet-blue. The conclusion is that, during the formation of ozone, 

 antozone is also formed, — this, in the presence of water, being 

 converted into peroxide of hydrogen. — Chemical News, Jan., 

 1868. 



M. Houzeau has classed the conditions in which oxygen exists 

 in the atmosphere under three kinds : first, inactive oxygen, which 

 produces not the slightest perceptible action upon moist ioduretted 

 paper; secondly, oxygen directly active, which immediately im- 

 parts a bluish tint to the above paper, developing at the same 

 time a peculiar and characteristic odor ; thirdly, oxygen indirectly 

 active, possessing no perceptible odor and requiring the aid of 

 another body to aflect the test-paper. The invigorating nature 

 of country air is presumed to be due to the presence of the second 

 of these modifications of oxygen, which may be regarded as iden- 

 tical with the substance ozone. It cannot be caused by the first 

 description of gas, since inactive ox3'gen does not afi'ect iodine or 

 its preiDaration ; nor to the third class, since oxygen, indirectly ac- 

 tive, requires the aid of an acid to afi'ect the test-paper. But the 

 air of the country, although it imparts a bluish tint to slightly 

 ioduretted litmus paper after the lapse of a short time, does not 

 redden the most sensitive litmus, even after it has been submitted 

 to its action for many hours. It aff'ects its complete discoloration, 

 but does not redden it. Having demonstrated that the first and 

 third of the presumed modifications of the gas oxygen do not be- 

 stow upon country air its peculiar properties, it is but natural, 

 and moreover reasonable, to attribute them to the presence of the 

 second, or ozone proper. Granting this assumption, it is manifest 

 that the odor which invariabl}^ betrays the existence of ozone 

 should also be present in the air, and unquestionably so it is. 

 Whenever pure air is respired in the mass, it has not only a dis- 

 tinct smell, but also a distinct color. It would be in vain to seek 

 for this air in the crowded streets of a metropolis, but in the open 

 country the lungs can af)preciate the vital energy they inhale. 



In support of his theor}^ M. Houzeau carried out an experiment, 

 which is at once curious, interesting, and conclusive. Being well 

 aware of the property that flannel and other stufi"3 possess of q6\\- 

 densing in their pores diluted ozone or ox3'gen, he caused two linen 

 cushions to be prepared of precisely the same material and size, 



