ical ▁str ata " ▁of ▁elect rical ▁particles . ▁He ▁also ▁supposed ▁that ▁chemical ▁re actions ▁could ▁occur ▁when ▁two ▁atoms ▁share ▁an ▁elect rical ▁charge . ▁However , ▁perhaps ▁because ▁he ▁provided ▁no ▁experimental ▁backing ▁for ▁his ▁ideas , ▁he ▁received ▁little ▁interest ▁from ▁the ▁Royal ▁Society . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 3 8 ▁he ▁moved ▁to ▁Paris , ▁where ▁he ▁remained ▁for ▁about ▁a ▁de cade . ▁There ▁his ▁ideas ▁also ▁received ▁little ▁interest ▁and ▁he ▁was ▁regarded ▁as ▁ecc ent ric . ▁His ▁medical ▁practice ▁apparently ▁ended ▁some ▁time ▁around ▁ 1 8 4 2 . ▁When ▁he ▁returned ▁to ▁England ▁his ▁interests ▁lean ed ▁toward ▁chem istry , ▁and ▁began ▁working ▁in ▁the ▁coal - gas ▁industry . ▁ ▁He ▁applied ▁for ▁several ▁pat ents : ▁▁ 1 8 4 4 , ▁for ▁improvements ▁in ▁the ▁pur ification ▁and ▁application ▁of ▁am mon ia . ▁▁ 1 8 4 7 , ▁for ▁a ▁continuous ▁recuper ator ▁made ▁of ▁iron ▁tub es , ▁which ▁may ▁be ▁the ▁oldest ▁such ▁device ▁known . ▁▁ 1 8 5 0 , ▁for ▁improvements ▁in ▁the ▁manufact ure ▁of ▁gas ▁for ▁ill um ination ▁and ▁other ▁purposes ▁to ▁which ▁coal ▁gas ▁is ▁applicable . ▁▁ 1 8 5 0 , ▁for ▁the ▁L aming ▁process , ▁which ▁was ▁a ▁method ▁of ▁removing ▁hydro gen ▁sul f ide ▁and ▁carbon ▁dio x ide ▁from ▁coal ▁gas . ▁▁ 1 8 6 1 , ▁Im prov ements ▁in ▁manufact uring ▁al kal ine ▁carbon ates