402 Dana on Flame. 
this flame, its brightness is much increased; and when the 
experiment is carefully performed, the smoke entirely dis- 
appears. 
When the vapour of spirits of turpentine is made to issue 
from a small orifice, and inflamed, it burns, and throws off 
large quantities of smoke; but when a jet of steam is made to 
unite with the vapour, the smoke entirely disappears. When- 
vapour of spirits of turpentine and of water are made to issue 
together from the same orifice, and inflamed, no smoke ap- 
pears. Hence its disappearing, in the above experiment, 
cannot be supposed to depend on a current of atmospheric air. 
When a jet of steam is thrown into the flame of a spirit of 
wine lamp, or into flames which evolve no smoke or carbona- 
ceous matter, the same effect is produced as by a current of 
S 
It appears, from these experiments, that in all flames which 
evolve smoke, steam produces an increased brightness, and a 
more perfect combustion. 
Now with a very simple apparatus, steam might be in-.- 
troduced into the flames of street lamps, and that kind of lamp 
which is used in butcher’s shops in London, and in all flames 
which evolve much smoke. The advantage of such an ar- 
rangement would be a more perfect combustion, and a greater 
quantity of light from the same materials. The flame of the 
lamps, to which steamis applied, might be made to keep the 
water boiling which supplies the steam. 
I hope the above may not be altogether uninteresting and 
useless to the readers of your Journal. 
Very repectfully, your obedient servant, 
J. F. DANA. 
