Nature's hygiene : a series of essays on popular scientific subjects : with special reference to the chemistry and hygiene of the eucalyptus and the pine / by C.T. Kingzett.

  • Kingzett, Charles Thomas.
Date:
1880
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Nature's hygiene : a series of essays on popular scientific subjects : with special reference to the chemistry and hygiene of the eucalyptus and the pine / by C.T. Kingzett. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Leeds Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Leeds Library.

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    of liydrogen when it is passed into water. Sclionbein was not alone in this belief; but it was eventually proved beyond all doubt that no new substance is formed in the process in question, but merely oxygen containing peroxide of hydrogen in suspension. As is now well known, if the sulphmic acid be not too strong, peroxide of hydrogen is the main product; and, indeed, it is a modification* of this process which is now employed for the commercial production of that substance. If, however, the sulphuric acid be strong, or if the temperature he not carefully kept as low as possible, a quantity of oxygen gas is set free by the sudden decomposition of the peroxide of hydrogen, and bursting from the liquid mass into the gaseous form, it escapes, carrying in suspension vesicles of peroxide of hydrogen, and thus exhibiting the characters for which Schonbein claimed the existence of antozone. It must be remembered, in justification of this illustrious chemist, that in the experiment just considered, any oxygen that might be formed would be evidently in the nascent state, that is to say, just originated, and all chemical expe- rience goes to show that substances in such a state are far more energetic in their actions than they are under ordinary circumstances. This may pos- sibly arise in the instance under consideration from the atoms of oxygen being set free as atoms (not * having time during the moment of their new exis- tence to combine into the molecules constituting * This modification consists in the substitution of hydrofluoric for sulphuric acid.