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University Microfilms International 300 North Zeeb Road Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106 USA St. John's Road. Tyler’s Green High Wycombe, Bucks. England HP10 BHR 77-21,412 SUDDUTH, W illiam McLean, 1945- THE ELECTRICAL DECOMPOSITION OF WATER: A CASE STUDY IN CHEMICAL AND ELECTRICAL SCIENCE, 1746-1800. The U niversity o f Oklahoma, P h.D ., 1977 History of Science X0rOX UniV0rSity Microfilrns,Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106 0 1977 WILLIAM McLEAN SUDDUTH ALL RIGHTS RESERVED THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA GRADUATE COLLEGE THE ELECTRICAL DECOMPOSITION OF WATER: A CASE STUDY IN CHEMICAL AND ELECTRICAL SCIENCE, 1745-1800 A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE FACULTY in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY BY WILLIAM M. SUDDUTH Norman, Oklahoma 1976 THE ELECTRICAL DECOMPOSITION OF WATER: A CASE STUDY IN CHEMICAL AND ELECTRICAL SCIENCE, 1746-1800 APPROVED BY DISSERTATION COMMITTEE PREFACE Because one of the theories discussed in this dissertation placed great emphasis on reforming language as a means to reform science, close attention has been paid to the strict quotation of original sources, even when the eighteenth—century term or its spelling varies with the more modern form (for instance, centry instead of sentry). Likewise, foreign words are accented only when they are accented in the original. For this reason the use of sic would be cumbersome and it has been used only where the meaning would not be clear otherwise. Moreover, no attempt has been made, either in the text or the translation of quotations, to translate eighteenth-century chemical or electrical terminology into modern equivalents. Indeed, if, as Lavoisier believed, language is essential to the concepts it expresses, as to mod­ ernize eighteenth-century terminology would be to obscure its historical import. For those desirous of identifying the archaic names of chemical compounds with more modern terminology, consult the table of nomencla­ ture in either Louis—Bernard Guyton de Morveau's Method of Chemical Nomenclature. Proposed by Messrs. De Morveau, Lavoisier. Bertholet. and ' De Fourcroy To which Is Added, ^ New System of Chemical Characters. Adapted to the New Nomenclature. by Mess. Hassenfratz and Adet. trans• James St, John (London: For G. Kearsley, 1788), p. 78 or "Chemistry,” ill Encyclopedia Britannica, 3rd ed. (1797), vol. 4, pp. 598-599. Unless otherwise noted, all translations are my own. It is a pleasure to express acknowledgments to: Duane H. D. Roller, McCasland Professor of the History of Science, who kindled my enthusiasm for the study of the History of Science, and to Thomas M. Smith, Professor of the History of Science, for their suggestions and criticisms concerning this dissertation, for their encouragement, con­ fidence, and assistance, patiently given during my years of graduate study. David B. Kitts, David Ross Boyd Professor of the History of Science and Geology, Kenneth L. Taylor, Associate Professor of the His­ tory of Science, Mary Jo Nye, Assistant Professor of the History of Science, and Dougald T. Calhoun, Associate Professor of History, for reading and criticizing this dissertation. Sabetai Unguru, Associate Professor of the History of. Science, and David B. Wilson, Associate Professor of the History of Science at Iowa State University and formerly Assistant Professor of the History of Science at the University of Oklahoma, for their aid, encouragement, and inspiration during my graduate study- Marcia M. Goodman, Librarian of the History of Science Collections for her assistance in making the extensive history of science source material in The University of Oklahoma Library available for use, and for her warm friendship and encouragement. Betty Beilis for typing my manuscript and for her understanding friendship. iv Lee Anne Ackerman and Martha Ellen Webb for their valuable aid in the preparation of the manuscript. And my wife, Sharon, without whose encouragement and constant hard work, sacrifice, and support, this dissertation would not have been possible. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page PREFACE . .............................................. ill LIST OF TABLES............................................ vil CHAPTER I. CRUCIAL EXPERIMENTS AND THE ELECTRICAL DECOMPOSITION OF WATER ............................ 1 II. EXPLANATIONS OF THE TRANSMISSION OF ELECTRICITY THROUGH WATER PRIOR TO 1786............ 21 III. THE IDENTIFICATION OF ELECTRICITY AS PHLOGISTON AND THE BACKGROUND TO DEIMAiîJ AND PAETS VAN TROOSTWIJK'S EXPERIMENTS............ 62 IV. THE RECEPTION OF THE DUTCH E X P E R I M E N T S............ 115 V. THE DECOMPOSITION OF WATER AS A CRUCIAL INSTANCE IN THE IDENTIFICATION OF GALVANISM ------- WITK-^LECTRICITY^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ . .--- 189— VI. THE RECEPTION OF THE VOLTAIC DECOMPOSITION OF WATER ON THE CONTINENT......................... 239 VII. C ONCLUSION........................................ 295 BIBLIOGRAPHY.............................................. 301 vl LIST OF TABLES Table Page I. VOLUMES OF RESIDUE BUBBLES COMPUTED FROM DEIMAN AND PAETS VAN TROOSTWIJK'S FIGURES.............. 18 II. TABLE SUMMARIZING PEARSON'S EXPERIMENTS ON PAGES 299 AND 300 ....................... 157 III. TABLE SUMMARIZING PEARSON'S EXPERIMENTS ON PAGES 301-303..................................... 160 vli THE ELECTRICAL DECOMPOSITION OF WATER: A CASE STUDY IN CHEMICAL AND ELECTRICAL SCIENCE, 1746-1800 CHAPTER I CRUCIAL EXPERIMENTS AND THE ELECTRICAL DECOMPOSITION OF WATER Although the crucial experiment in science has been questioned at least since Pierre Duhem (1861-1916) declared "L* 'Experimentum crucis' est impossible en Physique,”^ the importance historically of the concept of crucial experiment cannot be questioned. The emphasis upon experiment as a means to discover truth may be traced, as it was by Duhem, to the Novum organum scientiarum of Francis Bacon (1561-1626), who in his discussion of the true path to knowledge emphasized experience and identified crucial instances of experiences. According to Bacon: these Crucial Instances shew the true and inviolable Association of one of these Natures to the Nature sought; and the uncertain and separable Alliance of the other: whereby the Question is decided; the former Nature admitted for the Cause; and the other rejected. 107. These Instances therefore afford great Light, and have a kind of over-ruling Authority; so that the Course of Interpretation will sometimes terminate in them, or be finished by them. Sometimes, indeed, these Crucial Instances occur, or are found, among those already set down; but in general they are new, and expressly and Pierre Duhem, La théorie physique: son objet et sa structure. Bibliothèque de philosophie expérimentale II (Paris: Chevalier & Rivière, 1906), p. 308. "The 'Experimentum crucis’ is impossible in physics." purposely sought and applied, or after due Time and Endeavors, discovered, not without great Diligence and Sagacity. Thus, to Bacon, experiment in the form of "Crucial Instances . new and purposely sought and applied" was the highest form of experience and provided the means to decide between competing explanations of nature. In the tradition of Bacon's emphasis upon experience, Robert Boyle (1627-1691) wrote, "I look upon experimental truths as matters of . great concernment to mankind . Boyle believed that: much may be done towards the improvement of philosophy by a due consideration of, and reflexion on, the obvious phaenomena of nature, and those things, which are almost in everybody's power to know, if he pleases but seriously to heed them; and I make account, that attention alone might quickly furnish us with one Francis Bacon, Novum