Sir John Robison on Burning Gas for supplying Heat. 291 



revising my former observations, in order to preclude any far- 

 ther dispute on the subject. The figm-es accompanying my 

 memoir, which ai'e all executed by Dr Vogt, who has assisted 

 me in this protracted laboiu', will not, I hope, leave any farther 

 room for doubt respecting the true structure of the scales of 

 fishes. 



On the best Means of Burning Gas for supplying Heat. By 

 Sir John Robison, K.H., Sec. R.S.E., M.S.A.* 



'■' V'lx ca nostra tuco." 



When carburetted hydrogen gas is employed in producing 

 heat, it is seldom required that it should, at the same time, 

 give out light ; the combustion may, therefore, be managed in 

 any way which may be convenient without seeking to preserve 

 the illuminating power. It appears to have occurred about 

 the same period to the late Dr Duncan and to myself, that, 

 by passing a current of gas, mixed with atmospheric air, 

 through a wide vertical tube, having its upper end covered by 

 a diaphragm of wire-gauze, and by kindling the mixture as it 

 escaped tlu'ough the interstices of the wire cloth, a convenient 

 stove might be formed for culinary purposes. Dr Duncan ap- 

 plied some small apparatus on this principle to pharmaceutical 

 operations in his class-room, and I had my kitchen furnished 

 with a range of large stoves, which were intended to supersede 

 the use of French charcoal-stoves in various culinary processes. 

 In both cases the success has been perfect, and the same 

 principle has since been adopted with advantage in a variety 

 of processes in the useful arts, where this neat and cleanly me- 

 thod of applying heat has rendered it a valuable acquisition to 

 the work-shop. The form of the apparatus may be varied in 

 any way to suit the particular process to which it is to be ap- 

 plied ; as all that is essential is, that a current of the mixed gas 

 and air shall rise through wire-cloth, and that the proportion 



* Read before the Society of Arts for Scotland, 13th March 1839. The 

 flpccial thanlis of the Society awarded 18th December 183&. 



