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Description

Stevenson alleges that water is an element and not a compound, and suggests that hydrogen is a compound of water and phlogiston. The short paper is followed by a second version of the paper with further observations.

Subject: Chemistry

Reference number
AP/24/18
Earliest possible date
7 April 1840 - 5 May 1840
Physical description
Ink on paper
Page extent
12 pages
Format
Manuscript

Creator name

William Ford Stevenson

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Citation

William Ford Stevenson, Unpublished paper, 'Water still an element' by W F [William Ford] Stevenson, 7 April 1840 - 5 May 1840, AP/24/18, The Royal Society Archives, London, https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/ap_24_18/unpublished-paper-water-still-an-element-by-w-f-william-ford-stevenson, accessed on 12 December 2025

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  • Archived Papers

    The 'Archived Papers' collection is comprised of original manuscript scientific papers and letters submitted to the Royal Society which remained unpublished or were abstracted in the journal 'Proceedings of the Royal Society' published from 1830 onwards.

    Dates: 1768 - 1989

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