88 Biographical Account of [Aug. 



compound of phosphorus and oxygen. He describes the pro- 

 perties of phosphoric acid, and of the salts which it forms with 

 the different bases. Till this paper appeared, phosphoric acid 

 was unknown to the chemical world. 



19. Analysis of some Waters brought from Italy by M. Cas- 

 sini, jun. Mem. Par. 1777- Published, I believe, in 1781. 

 These waters were found to hold in solution a considerable 

 quantity of alum and sulphate of iron, and to contain a great 

 excess of sulphuric acid. 



20. Experiments on the Ash employed by the Saltpetre-makers 

 of Paris, and on its Use in the Preparation of Saltpetre. Mem. 

 Par. 1777- Published, I believe, in 1781. Lavoisier found this 

 ash to yield the following salts : — 



Sulphate of potash. 



Sulphate of soda. 



Common salt. 



A salt in needles, nature unknown. 



Sulphate of lime. 



Besides a quantity of combustible and insoluble earthy matter. 



21. Experiments on the Respiration of Animals, and on the 

 Changes produced in the Air by be'mg drawn into the Liings. 

 Mem. Par. 1777- Published, 1 believe, in 1781. This is one 

 of the most celebrated of all Lavoisier's papers. He gives a 

 history of the observations formerly made on respiration by 

 Hales, Cigna, and Priestley ; but takes no notice of the disco- 

 very of the evolution of carbonic acid gas by breathing made by 

 Dr. Black. Jn this paper he shows that oxygen disappears, that 

 carbonic acid and a quantity of water appears ; and he endea- 

 vours to assign the proportions of these changes j but he after- 

 wards altered his opinion respecting them. 



22. Memoir on the Combustion of Candles in Atmospheric Air 

 and in Oxygen Gas. Mem. Par. 1777- Published, I believe, 

 in 1781. He shows that a portion of the oxygen is converted 

 into carbonic acid gas, and that the candle goes out long before 

 the whole of the oxygen of the air is abstracted. 



23. Memoir on the Solution of Mercury in Sulphuric Acid, 

 and the Decomposition of that Acid into Sulphurous Acid Gas 

 and Oxygen Gas. Mem. Par. 1777- Published, 1 believe, in 

 1781. This was the first attempt to ascertain the composition 

 of sulphuric acid, and to point out the real difference between it 

 and sulphurous acid. 



24. Experiments on the Crystallization of a Fluid Alkali by 

 Electricity. Jour, de Phys. torn. x. p. 104. 



25. Experiments on the Combination of Alum with Charry 

 Matters, and on the Changes produced in the Air in which Pyro- 

 phorus is burnt. Mem. Par. 1777- Published, I believe, in 



