Discovering Water: James Watt, Henry Cavendish, and the Nineteenth Century 'Water Controversy' (Science, Technology and Culture, 1700-1945)

The ancient Greeks believed water was an element, and thinkers continued to see it that way until the 18th century. Then, it was found to be a compound, constructed of hydrogen and oxygen molecules. Who would be credited with the discovery, however, was a dispute that went on for 70 years, long outl