y( 452 ) 



No. LXXir. 



yl/i Anfiver to Dr, Joseph Priestley's Co7ifidcrations on 

 the DoElrine of Phlogijlon^ and the Decompojttion of Wa- 

 ter ; founded upon demoriflrative Kxpcriments. By James 

 WooDHOUSE, M. D. Profeffor of Chemlftry in the 

 Univerfity of Pennfylvania, &c. 



SECTION I. 



Of the Conflitution of Metals. 



DR. Prieftley in two late publications, entl- 

 tuled, Confiderations on the Dodlrine of Phlo- 

 gifton and Decompofition of Water, has attacked that the- 

 ory of chemiftry, which is at prefent adopted by a large 

 majority of chemifls, in different parts of the world. 



The dodtor adheres to the dodrine of phlogifton, and be- 

 lieves that metals are compound bodies, formed of this fub- 

 llance and a peculiar bafe or calx. 



On the contrary, the antiphlogiftic chemifts rejedl phlo- 

 gifton. 



Firft. Becaufe it appears to be a mere creature of the 

 imagination, whofe exiftence has never been proved. 



Secondly. Becaufe all the phccnomena of chemiftry, 

 can be fatisfadlorily explained, without the aid of this hy- 

 pothefis. 



They believe metals to be fimple fubftances, becaufe 

 they have never been proved to be compound bodies. 



They confider a metallic calx, to be an union of a metal 

 and the bafe of vital air, called by them oxygen, as it is the 

 principle" of univerfal acidity. The proofs that metals, in 

 being- converted into calces, abforb oxygen are, 



Firft. That all the calces of mercury give out oxygen- 

 ous gas when expofed to a red heat, without any addition. 



Secondly. If a metal is calcined in oxygenous gas, the 

 whole of it will be abforbed. 



Thirdly. 



