Ozone. 323 



with the capability of immediate and ready action impressed upon 

 it. To Schonbien is awarded the discovery, who, in 1840, applied 

 the term ozone to the peculiar smell which is perceptible during the 

 action of the electrical machine, and also during the decomposition 

 of water by tjie galvanic apparatus. It was subsequently ascertained 

 that a similar smell is developed by the influence of Phosphorus 

 on moist air, and also by a great many chemical changes, and for 

 some time its existence was recognized by its smell, or odour, 

 alone; but in April, 1848, Schonbien became possessed of another 

 of its characters, viz : its oxidizing principle, and it is this propei'ty 

 which it possesses more particularly, when we direct our attention 

 to its presence in the atmosphere, although these oxidizing pro- 

 perties may be common to some other bodies, as nitrous acid, 

 which is said to be generated in the atmosphere by atmospheric 

 electricity. 



When largely diffused in the atmosphere, it causes like chlorine 

 (to which it is somewhat allied) very unpleasant sensations, such 

 as difficult respiration, and it acts powerfully on the mucous mem- 

 brane, it kills small animals very quickly ; it is insoluble in water, 

 and oxydizes very quickly all metallic bodies, and it has the power 

 in a large degree, of destroying miasma arising from the decom- 

 position of animal and vegetable substances, and Schonbien came 

 to the conclusion, that, its formation depended upon the action 

 or formation of atmospheric electricity, and he referred the bene- 

 ficial effects of thunder storms, to the action of the ozone formed, 

 neutralizing the miasma arising from the decomposition of animal 

 and may be vegetable substances, and it possesses in a powerful 

 degree bleaching properties, and in this it is again analogous to 

 chlorine. 



Since Schonbien brought its properties before the scientific 

 world, it has received more or less attention both from the physi 

 cian and the meteorologist. 



It has been advanced, that during the presence of cholera and 

 other epidemic disease, its absence was remarked, while on the 

 other hand, when the atmosphere has indicated a great amount 

 present, diseases of the lungs and mucous membrane have been 

 more prevalent, it has been still further stated that its action on 

 the vegetable kingdom is similar in its effects as in the animal 

 economy ; the potatoe disease or rot especially, and other diseases 

 in vegetables has, it is said, been caused by either its absence or 

 presence, in too large quantities. 



