The Literature of Ozone. 139 



the molecule of oxygen undergoes decomposition under conditions 

 which render it possible for the constituent atoms to exist in a 

 free or uncombined condition for an interval of time. This set- 

 ting free of the constituent atoms of the molecule is what was 

 known in the older chemistry as the nascent state of the element 

 in question. And whilst the increased energy of chemical pro- 

 perties possessed by the element, at the instant of being liberated 

 from a previous chemical combination, or in statu nascenti, was 

 a fact of universally recognized importance, yet a satisfactory 

 explanation of this increase of energy was not possible until the 

 distinction between the chemical atom and the chemical molecule 

 was established as a fundamental fact of the newer chemistry. 

 Ordinarily, the nascent atom immediately enters into combina- 

 tion again, either with an atom of the same kind, as for instance 

 an atom of hydrogen with an atom of hydrogen to form a mole- 

 cule of hydrogen in all respects similar in its properties to ordi- 

 nary hydrogen gas, or with an atom of a different kind to form 

 a different substance. In the case of oxygen, however, these 

 free atoms may not only reunite by twos to form the ordinary 

 dual molecule, known as oxygen gas, but by threes to form the 

 triple molecule, which is ozone. 



According to the older chemistry, it would have been difficult 

 to assign a reason why free hydrogen atoms might not reunite to 

 form a triple molecule of hydrogen, just as well as free oxygen 

 atoms. And as a matter of history, Osann endeavored -to prove 

 that the hydrogen given off in electrolysis differs from ordinary 

 hydrogen, just as the oxygen given off differs from ordinary oxy- 

 gen. He ascribed to such electrolytic hydrogen a weak acid 

 smell, and the power of readily reducing silver and other metallic 

 salts, and distinguished it by the name of ozone-hydrogen. But 

 these properties w T ere in reality due to other bodies in the elec- 

 trolytic hydrogen, to say nothing of the fact that absolutely pure 

 hydrogen gas has the power of slowly reducing silver from its 

 salts. 



It is not in accordance with our present knowledge concerning 

 hydrogen, to regard the existence of such a body as Osann's sup- 

 posed ozone-hydrogen as possible. For in all its known chemical 

 combinations, hydrogen possesses but one bond of chemical at- 

 traction, and a molecule of hydrogen possessing three or more 



