364 Literature of Ozone. 



source derived, must not be lost sight of in any estimate of bis 

 merits as a discoverer. The earliest attack came from De la Rive, 

 who attributed the odor to metallic oxides set free from the 

 metals nsed as electrodes, or as terminals in electric discharges. 

 Brit Schonbein pointed out, that besides the improbability of an 

 odor arising from solid bodies, this hypothesis required that solid 

 bodies should have the property of indefinite suspension in the 

 atmosphere, instead of being deposited, or washed down by 

 water (1840-1843). 



The next attacks came from Fischer, who regarded Schon- 

 bein's ozone as probably peroxide of hydrogen, and from William- 

 son, who thought there were two kinds of ozone, one the ozone 

 given off in electrolysis, and which he regarded as a higher oxide 

 of hydrogen, differing from the previously well-known peroxide, 

 and the other formed by the action of phosphorus on moist air. 

 But Schonbein disposed of both objections ; — of the first, by 

 showing that the chemical and physical properties of ozone are 

 not the properties of peroxide of hydrogen ; and of the second, 

 by demonstrating that, whatever might be the true nature of 

 ozone, the gaseous matter obtained in the electrolysis of water, 

 was in all respects identical with that formed by the action upon 

 air of moist phosphorus (1844-1845). 



During these first five years, Schonbein was busily engaged 

 in ascertaining the properties of ozone. Since no peculiar 

 methods were employed in the furtherance of these discoveries, 

 they need not detain us here, further than briefly to summarize 

 them, and to point out what corrections have been rendered 

 necessary by the labors of subsequent investigators. 



They are : — 1st. Its eminent oxidizing powers, as shown by 

 its ability to transform most metals into their higher oxides, 

 and to raise the lower oxides into the condition of peroxides. 

 Certain of the non-metals — phosphorus, chlorine, bromine, and 

 iodine — are similarly oxidized. Schonbein's statement that it 

 does not unite with nitrogen under ordinary circumstances, but 

 enters into combination when alkali is present, has been abund- 

 antly disproved ; among others, by Berthelot (1877), who has 

 shown that no combination occurs, even when alkali is present. 

 It oxidizes sulphites and nitrites into sulphates and nitrates, 



