In the meantime, on August 1, 1774, an experiment conducted by the British clergyman Joseph Priestley focused sunlight on mercuric oxide (HgO) contained in a glass tube, which liberated a gas he named "dephlogisticated air".
I mellemtiden, nærmere bestemt 1. august 1774, udførte den britiske gejstlige Joseph Priestley et eksperiment, hvor han fokuserede sollys på kviksølvoxid (HgO) i et glasrør, hvilket frigav en gas som han navngav "deflogisticeret luft".