"During the sway of phlogiston chemistry made many notable advances... in spite of it. ...[U]ntil the time of Lavoisier few if any investigations were made with the express intention of testing it, or of establishing its sufficiency. When new phenomena were observed the attempt was no doubt made to explain them by its aid, frequently with no satisfactory result. Indeed, even in the time of Stahl facts were known which it was difficult or impossible to reconcile with his doctrine; but these were either ignored, or their true import explained away."