76 
OXYGEN  IN  A  NASCENT  STATE. 
causing  the  disengagement  of  chlorine  under  the  influence  of 
hydrochloric  acid. 
The  odorous  gas  reacts  yet  more  rapidly  on  iodide  of  potas- 
sium, the  iodine  of  which  it  sets  free ;  it  spontaneously  decolo- 
rizes the  tinctures  of  litmus,  cochineal,  and  logwood,  sulphate 
of  indigo,  &c,  thus  manifesting  a  power  which  even  chlorine 
can  hardly  equal.  Porous  bodies  absorb  it,  and  also  singularly 
modify  it,  since  by  merely  passing  it  slowly  through  a  glass 
tube  filled  with  asbetos,  spongy  platinum,  lint,  carded  cotton, 
strips  of  flannel,  or  the  like,  the  odor  and  oxydizing  properties 
of  the  gas  are  destroyed. 
Although  from  the  properties  just  described,  it  would  not  be 
possible  to  confound  the  nascent  gas  with  ordinary  oxygen,  I 
have  nevertheless  thought  that  their  differences  would  be  still 
morefapparent  by  a  comparative  statement  of  their  respective 
properties  ;  thus  : — 
Comparison  of  the  general  properties  of  Ordinary  Oxygen  and  of  Nas- 
cent or  Active  Oxygen,  both  being  in  the  free  state  and  at  a  temp,  of 
59°  Fahr. 
ORDINARY  OXYGEN. 
NASCENT  OR  ACTIVE  OXYGEN. 
Ammonia 
Blue  Litmus  - 
Silver  .... 
Phosphoretted  Hydrogen  Gas 
Iodide  of  Potsssium 
Hydrochloric  Acid  - 
Colorless,  inodorous  insipid  gas 
No  rapid  action  - 
Does  not  oxydize  it 
Nonaction  - 
Does  not  decompose  it 
No  action  . 
Is  a  feeble  oxydizer 
Very  stable  at  all  temperatures 
I 
{ 
1 
0 
; 
• 
Colorless,  very  odorous  gas, 
having    taste    of  lobster. 
Burns    it  spontaneously, 
transforming  it  into  nitrate, 
ecolorizes  it  rapidly, 
xydizes  it. 
Instantly  burns  it  with  the 
omission  of  light. 
Acts  rapidly  upon  it,  setting- 
free  the  iodine. 
Decomposes  it,,  setting  free 
the  chlorine 
'Is  a  powerful  oxydizing 
agent  and  an  energetic 
chloridizer  [chlorurant]. 
r  Stable  at  59°  ;  is  destroyed 
at  about  167°  Fahr. 
Binoxide  of  barium  is  not,  however,  the  only  body  which  can 
thus  disengage  active  oxygen,  other  oxygenated  substances 
having  also  afforded  it  to  me  under  certain  circumstances. 
When  one  considers  in  their  ensemble  the  numerous  chemical 
reactions  to  which  oxygenated  compounds  give  rise,  and  which 
alone  constitute  the  greatest  part  of  the  metamorphoses  of  which 
Chemistry  is  the  study,  one  may  always  recognize  in  combined 
oxygen  that  increased  energy  which  distinguishes  free  oxygen 
