George Wilson to Faraday   12 June 1851

24 Brown Square Edinburgh | June 12th 1851

Dr Faraday

Dear Sir

Observing from the Athenaeum¹ that you are about to Lecture on Ozone², I take the liberty of addressing a few lines to you on the subject, though afraid that they may not reach you in time.

Schönbein has suggested that Ozone may be the cause of Influenza³, & Mr Robert Hunt has drawn attention to the probable increased presence of the substance in question in the atmosphere at the period when the last Epidemic of Cholera was passing away. What I wish to suggest in the way of a query is that if Ozone can produce influenza it should be possible to induce that artificially by causing Ozonised Air to be breathed, as Berzelius produced in himself severe bronchitis, by inspiring air containing Seleniuretted Hydrogen⁴, which Dr Prout⁵ thought might be the cause of Influenza⁶. Experiments, however, on the Subject seem scarcely needed, since for more than a Century Electricians have undesignedly developed around their persons large quantities of Ozone, and have been exposed for hours together to Air, much more highly charged with Ozone, than upon any hypothesis the atmosphere can ever be. I should like to put this question to you, in case you think it worth while answering publicly. Has it ever happened in your own very extensive experience of the action of the largest Friction Hydro-Electric - & Galvanic Machines, & batteries to observe in yourself or your assistants or audience, any development of a disease resembling influenza? Surely within a Century we should have heard of a Morbus Electricus, if Electricians had been sufferers from the action of Ozone?

Conclusions have been drawn as to the relative quantity of Ozone in the air, from the development of a blue colour of varying intensity in Starch-paste mixed with Iodide of Potassium, but according to M. Chatin’s⁷ communication made to the Academy of Science at Paris (Séance du 5 Mai 1851 L’Institut pour 7 Mai 1851, p 148⁸), the atmosphere always contains free Iodine, so that experiments thought to prove the presence of Ozone in the Air are exposed to a serious fallacy. In the case also of Iodide of Potassium used alone, I venture to suggest that the same Agency, Electricity of High Tension which developes Ozone in the Air, also developes at least when undergoing discharge, Nitric Acid, which by liberating Iodine from Iodide of Potassium may give a deceptive appearance as to the presence of free Ozone. I do not wish to call in question the presence of Ozone in the atmosphere, but merely to refer to the doubtful character of some of the supposed proofs of its presence, and to suggest the improbability on the ground of the impunity with which Electricians breath Ozone, (if I am right in believing in this impunity) of the Ozone-theory of Influenza.

I trust you will excuse this intrusion. Your Courtesy on former occasions induces me to send this hasty scrawl to catch the post.

I Remain | Yours very truly | George Wilson M.D