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Honoring the Rev. Dr. Joseph Priestley...
Honoring the Rev. Dr. Joseph Priestley...
Item # 702008
April 08, 1797
AURORA GENERAL ADVERTISER, Philadelphia, April 8, 1797 Both the front page and page 2 have advertisements for a circus, which is early for such ads in America. Page 2 also has an article on: "Doctor Priestley" reporting on an event honoring the Rev. Dr. Joseph Priestley, credited with discovering oxygen.
Four pages, great condition.
AI notes: In 1774, Dr. Joseph Priestley, an English chemist and theologian, conducted experiments that led to the discovery of oxygen, which he called “dephlogisticated air.” By focusing sunlight on mercuric oxide in a sealed container, he was able to isolate a gas that supported combustion far better than ordinary air and allowed a mouse to live longer than normal. Although Priestley observed its remarkable properties, he interpreted them through the lens of the phlogiston theory, believing the gas was air freed from phlogiston rather than a distinct element. His meticulous experiments, however, laid the groundwork for modern chemistry, and later, Antoine Lavoisier recognized the gas as oxygen, accurately describing its role in combustion and respiration. Priestley’s work was significant not only for identifying a new gas but also for challenging established scientific ideas and advancing the study of gases, making him a key figure in the chemical revolution.
Category: The 1600's and 1700's
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