The gases of the atmosphere : the history of their discovery

The experiments and speculations of Boyle, Mayow, and Hales.--"Fixed air" and "mephitic air"; their discovery by Black and by Rutherford.--The discovery of "dephlogisticated air" by Priestlyand by Scheele. The overthrow of teh phlogistic theory by Lavoisier.--"Phlogisticated air" investigated by Cavendish. His discovery of the composition of water.--The discovery of argon.--The properties of argon.--The position of argon among the elements.--The other inactive gases:helium, neon, krypton, and xenon