Priestley

English chemist. Born near Leeds as the son of a textile finisher, he studied at the Nonconformist Academy in Daventry and became a clergyman. He remained a clergyman and teacher throughout his life. He produced the pinnacle of research in 18th-century British air chemistry, but also wrote numerous works on theology, education, history, biography, law, and politics. In 1761, he became a teacher of classical languages ​​at Warrington Academy, where he became interested in chemistry. At the same time, he came into contact with B. Franklin and wrote "The History and Present State of Electricity" (1767). In 1767, he was invited by a Unitarian clergyman in Leeds to live next to a brewery. This led to him starting serious experimental research on fixed air (carbon dioxide) released from fermenting wort, which led to the invention of soda water. In 1773, he was employed by William Petty as a librarian and consultant, earning a good salary. In the time that was thus afforded, he carried out an astonishing number of experiments on gases, and created twenty new kinds of "airs." These included nitric air (nitric oxide), nitric vapor (nitrous oxide), reduced nitric air (dinitrogen oxide), sulfuric acid air (sulfur dioxide), combustible air (carbon monoxide), sea acid (hydrogen chloride), and hydrofluoric acid air (silica fluoride). In August 1774, he heated mercury ash (HgO) in a closed vessel to obtain "dephlogistonized air" (oxygen). In October of the same year, he visited Paris and directly conveyed the results of his experiments to AL Lavoisier, giving him a great impetus in the formation of Lavoisier's oxygen theory. In 1780, while still holding Lord Petty's pension, he became the minister of the New Church in Birmingham, and became a member of the famous Lunar Society there. During the Birmingham riots of 1791, his private home was attacked as he was seen as the foremost radical figure. In 1794, he moved to America with his family and, not accepting offers for ministerial or university professorship, devoted himself to writing. This included "Reflections on the Theory of Phlogiston" (1796), which defended the phlogiston theory against the new revolutionary chemistry of Lavoisier. He was also the one who perfected the method of collecting water-soluble gases on mercury, which had been developed by H. Cavendish.

Source: Morikita Publishing "Chemical Dictionary (2nd Edition)" Information about the Chemical Dictionary 2nd Edition

イギリスの化学者．織物仕上げ職人の息子として，リーズ近郊に生まれ，ダヴェントリーの非国教派のアカデミーで学んで，牧師となる．職業としては終生牧師ならびに教師であった．18世紀のイギリスの空気化学の頂点となる研究をなすが，ほかに神学，教育，歴史，伝記，法学，政治についてなど，非常に数多くの著作を著している．1761年ウォリントン・アカデミーの古典語の教師職に就くが，このときに化学へ関心をもつようになる．同時に，B. Franklinと接し，“電気学の歴史と現状”(1767年)を著す．1767年リーズのユニテリアン派の牧師に招へいされ，醸造所の隣りに住むこととなった．このことが契機となり，発酵する麦芽汁から出る固定空気(二酸化炭素)について本格的な実験研究をはじめ，ソーダ水の発明へと至る．1773年William Pettyに司書兼顧問として雇用され，十分な給料を得る．そうして可能になった十分な時間で，気体について驚くほど多くの実験を行い，20種類もの新しい“空気”をつくり出した．そのなかには，硝空気(一酸化窒素)，硝蒸気(二酸化窒素)，減容硝空気(一酸化二窒素)，硫酸空気(二酸化硫黄)，可燃性空気(一酸化炭素)，海酸(塩化水素)，フッ酸空気(フッ化ケイ素)が含まれている．また，1774年8月水銀灰(HgO)を密閉容器のなかで熱して，“脱フロギストン化空気”(酸素)を得た．同年10月パリを訪れたかれは，この実験結果をA.L. Lavoisier(ラボアジエ)に直接伝え，その酸素理論の形成に大きな刺激を与えた．1780年かれはPetty卿の年金を保持したまま，バーミンガムの新礼拝会の牧師となり，その地の有名な月光協会(Lunar Society)の会員となった．1791年バーミンガム暴動で，急進派の最先鋒とみられていたかれの私宅が襲撃された．1794年家族を連れてアメリカに移住し，声のかかった牧師職も大学教授職も受けずに著述に専念した．そのなかには，新しい革命的なラボアジエ化学に対して，フロギストン説を擁護する“フロギストン理論の考察”(1796年)が含まれる．H. Cavendish(キャベンディッシュ)が開発した，水溶性の気体を水銀上で捕集する方法を完成させたのもかれである．

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