PMM 217 - THE DISCOVERY OF OXYGEN

PRIESTLEY, JOSEPH.

Observations on different Kinds of Air. By Joseph Priestley, LL.D.F.R.S. (+) An Account of further Discoveries in Air (+) Observations on Respiration, and the Use of the Blood (+) Experiments relating to Phlogiston, and the seeming Conversion of Water into Air.

London, Lockyer Davis, 1772, 1775, 1776 & 1783. 4to. In recent marbled paper wrappers. Extracted from "Philosophical Transactions". Including title-page of volume. Most leaves reinforced in margin. Light offsetting from folded plates as usual. Plate depicting the full telescope with professional repair to lower right corner. Pp. (4), 147-264, 383-394, 225-248, 397-434.

First edition of Priestley's landmark paper on pneumatic chemistry. In this present work, which marked an new epoch in the history of chemistry, he announced the discovery of hydrochloric acid and nitric oxide, as well as the discovery that plants restored air that had been vitiated by combustion, putrefaction, and respiration. Priestley's 'contribution to the knowledge of gases were crucial. He improved the technique for studying them by collecting them over mercury instead of water, so that many more gases could be observed.His many chemical discoveries contributed to the "chemical revolution"' (PMM)

"The paper here, for which the Royal Society awarded Priestley the Copley medal announced the discovery of hydrochloric acid and nitric oxide and the use of the latter in measuring the purity of air, which led through the work of Cavendish, Fontana and others to exact eudiometry. Priestley also observed that plants consume carbon dioxide and gave out oxygen, thereby purifying air which has been vitiated by combustion, respiration and putrefaction, and that this action takes place only under daylight." (Printing and the Mind of Man No. 217).

"In this paper he also announced two new gases that he had obtained - nitrous oxide and carbonic oxide; these won him the Royal Society's Copley medal. Two years later his experiments in heating red oxide of mercury produced "dephlogisticated air" which was announced in 1775 and identified by Lavoisier as oxygen." (Dibner Heralds of Science No. 40).

The work contains a proposal to saturate water with carbonic acid under either atmospheric or increased pressure, which led to the creation of the mineral-water industry.
The Centenary of the discovery of oxygen was celebrated at Priestley's American home at Northumberland, Pennsylvania, and was followed in 1876 by the foundation of the American Chemical Society. (PMM).

PMM 217.
Honeyman No. 2535 -
Barchas 1718.
Dibner 40
Norman 1749

Order-nr.: 57072