428 THE CHEMISTKY OF CREATION. 



with gelatinous particles is in an impure state, 

 and that the luminous appearance in all common 

 cases is produced by the agitation of the fluid 

 in contact with the atmosphere, I am inclined 

 to consider that the phosphorescence is the 

 result of the decomposition of the organic par- 

 ticles, by which process (one is tempted almost to 

 call it a kind of respiration) the ocean becomes 

 purified." 



Recent discoveries render it highly probable 

 that this view, which is also held by Professor 

 Ehrenberg, is the correct one, and that while 

 it is certain that many marine creatures possess 

 the faculty of emitting light, yet that this 

 phenomenon, when occurring over a large sur- 

 face, is due to a sort of natural purification of 

 the water, by exposing these organic matters 

 to the influence of the air. Professor Schon- 

 bein, in his Report on Ozone (the remarkable 

 principle frequently before mentioned), adopts 

 a similar view, and explains the chemistry of 

 the process in a highly-ingenious manner. The 

 most ready method of procuring ozone is to put 

 a piece of moist phosphorus into a bottle full 

 of air. A peculiar chemical decomposition now 

 takes place. The oxygen of the air unites with 

 the water present, and oxidating it, produces 

 ozone. The ozone then reacts upon the phos- 

 phorus, and in oxidating it produces the peculiar 



