1825.] Mr. Davieson Flame* ,449 



^at the surface of contact of the inflammable matter. This 

 fact, he adds, is proved by holding a taper, or a piece of 

 burning phosphorus, within a large flame made bv the com- 

 bustion of alcohol. The flame of the taper, or o^ the phos- 

 phorus, will appear in the centre of the other flame, proving 

 ■ that there is oxygen even in its interior part." 



The statements which I have here transcribed appear to be 

 irreconcileable ; I therefore thought it desirable to repeat the 

 experiments mentioned by both, as the only way to arrive at a 

 fair decision with respect to either. 



;. I have found the experiments of Mr. Sym, which are so 

 simple as almost to preclude the possibility of mistake, to cor- 

 respond precisely with what he has stated. A piece of wire 

 gauze, applied in the manner already described, showed a thin 

 'film of flame enclosing a mass of opaque carbonaceous matter. 

 ,1 then varied my experiments so as to submit the fact to a 

 .careful examination. The result was invariably in accordance 

 with Mr. Sym's statements. 

 ^ ^ I have also repeated, under every variety of circumstances 

 .which has occurred to me, the experiments of Sir H. Davy. 



By enlarging the wick of a common candle, and introducing 

 into the flame small pieces of phosphorus and of sulphur, on 

 the point of a needle, I soon found that the interior of ordinary- 

 flame would not support combustion. 



Similar experiments were made in the flame of a spirit lamp, 

 •and the same results were obtained. A small portion of 

 phosphorus, having accidentally attached itself to the wick of 

 the lamp, remained there for a very considerable time, and was 

 not burnt until it was brought to the edg;e of the flame. 

 , Influenced by the high authority of Sir H. Davy, I have 

 been anxious to conduct my experiments in such a way as to 

 avoid, as far as I have been able, the possibility of exception. 



A piece of phosphorus was placed upon a small wooden 

 stand in a Wedgwood dish; spirit of wine was then poured 

 into the dish in such a manner that it did not reach the phos- 

 phorus. The spirit of wine was now lighted, ond its flame 

 completely enveloped the combustible body. In the course of 

 a few seconds the phosphorus became fluid, and remained in 

 that state upon the stand ; and never in a single instance 

 inflamed, until the alcohol was consumed, or its flame extin- 

 guished ; thouoh, in several instances, the spirit of wine con- 

 tinued to burn for three or four minutes. The phosphorus 

 always burst into a vigorous flame when the spirit of wine 

 was extinguished; nor was the combustible power of the 

 phosphorus, as far as I could judge, in the least impaired. 



When the flame of the spirit of wine was blown upon, so that 

 the edge of it came in contact with the phosphorus, the phos- 

 phorus immediately burst into a flame ; but the flame was 



New Series, vol. x. 2 g 



