Skip to content

Please be aware that some material may contain words, descriptions or illustrations which will not reflect current scientific understanding and may be considered in today's context inaccurate, unethical, offensive or distressing.

Paper, 'A paper of the honourable Robt [Robert] Boyle deposited with the secretarys [sic] of the Royal Society and opened since his death being an account of his way of making the phosphorus etc.' by Robert Boyle

Reference number: CLP/11i/21

Date: 30 September 1680

Description

Boyle describes how to make phosphorus from stale human urine that has been distilled over heat into a syrup. This syrup is then mixed with fine, white sand and heating in a stone retort until phosphorus is produced.

Subject: Chemistry

Published in Philosophical Transactions as 'A paper of the Honourable Robert Boyl's, deposited with the secretaries of the Royal Society, Octob. 14. 1680. and opened since his death; being an account of his making the phosphorus, etc'.

Received by Robert Hooke. Read to the Royal Society on 16 October 1680.

Reference number
CLP/11i/21
Earliest possible date
30 September 1680
Physical description
Ink on paper
Page extent
2 pages
Format
Manuscript

Creator name

Robert Boyle

View page for Robert Boyle

Use this record

Citation

Robert Boyle, Paper, 'A paper of the honourable Robt [Robert] Boyle deposited with the secretarys [sic] of the Royal Society and opened since his death being an account of his way of making the phosphorus etc.' by Robert Boyle, 30 September 1680, CLP/11i/21, The Royal Society Archives, London, https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/clp_11i_21/paper-a-paper-of-the-honourable-robt-robert-boyle-deposited-with-the-secretarys-sic-of-the-royal-society-and-opened-since-his-death-being-an-account-of-his-way-of-making-the-phosphorus-etc-by-robert-boyle, accessed on 10 October 2024

Link to this record

Embed this record

<iframe src="https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/embed/items/clp_11i_21/paper-a-paper-of-the-honourable-robt-robert-boyle-deposited-with-the-secretarys-sic-of-the-royal-society-and-opened-since-his-death-being-an-account-of-his-way-of-making-the-phosphorus-etc-by-robert-boyle" title="Paper, 'A paper of the honourable Robt [Robert] Boyle deposited with the secretarys [sic] of the Royal Society and opened since his death being an account of his way of making the phosphorus etc.' by Robert Boyle" allow="fullscreen" frameborder="0" width="100%" height="500px"></iframe>

Hierarchy

This item is part of:

Related Fellows

Explore the collection

  • Classified Papers

    Dates: 1592-1741

    The 'Classified Papers' of the Royal Society are papers from British and international natural philosophers and scholars categorised according to subject areas.

    View collection