Note 52 — Book VI (continued 5)

“The first sound theory of chemistry was denominated the antiphlogistic, in contradistinction to that of phlogiston, or the principle of inflammability, which was first proposed by Beccher (born at Spires in Germany in the year 1635) and then improved by Stahl, a native of Anspach, in honour of whom it has been commonly denominated the Stahlian theory. The difference between the two theories is briefly this, that according to the earlier a body is conceived to be deprived in combustion of a component principle, whereas according to the later a component part of the atmosphere is conceived to be combined with it” (Dr. Geo. Miller, from Thomson’s “History of Chemistry,” London, 1830, Vol. I. pp. 246, 250, and Vol. II. pp. 99–100).