480 KANSAS CITY REVIEW OF SCIENCE. 
we can never expect in the atmosphere of a city ; therefore, when speaking of 
smoke, I must abide by my previous statement, acknowledging that in some 
parts of a city we may have sufficient quantity, which, breathed for a length of 
time, would produce drowsiness and a gradual loss of muscular power. 
The amount of sulphur and its various compounds thrown into the amos- 
phere during combustion depends entirely upon the nature of the fuel; used. 
These sulphur compounds do not seem to be very readily removed by diffusion 
throughout the air, although Oesterlen states that sulphuretted hydrogen, am- 
monium sulphide, nitrogen, carbon dioxide and carburetted hydrogen will pass 
easily through walls of cess-pools. Their actions upon the health have been very 
variously described. 
The fumes of metals, such as antimony from type works, as also fumes of 
arsenical compounds from copper works, are, as all know, extremely dangerous 
to health. 
The question now arises, " Can the smoke nuisance be abated ? " Undoubt- 
edly it can, at least to the extent that the Chicago ordinance has demanded. 
Well, how? Attempts have been made in this direction since the year 1785. 
At first the idea was rather the saving of fuel than the prevention of smoke. By 
the ordinary combustion of one U. S. ton of soft coal above 22 (22.32) pounds 
of soot are thrown off into the air. This is a matter of great expense, carbon 
(soot) being the chief heating substance of the coal. One pound of coal requires 
from 150 to 250 cubic feet of air to insure complete combustion. How is this 
object to be obtained ? First, by having a furnace of suitable dimensions — 
height, width and length — with the proper area of air space between the fire bars. 
This last is regulated by the kind of fuel to be used — narrow interstices for wood, 
wide for hard coal. The width and length of the furnace are regulated by the 
dimensions of the boiler, whilst the height depends upon the amount of fuel 
required. Here, you will permit me to say, that my opinion is that there should 
be a very large space between the top of the fire bars and the bottom of the 
boiler. I have found in some instances in this city the coal actually in direct con- 
tact with the bottom of the boiler. Need I say that the chimneys connected there- 
with emitted dense volumes of smoke ? The size of the furnace will also determine 
the dimensions of the doors. Firing should not be had recourse to very frequently 
because of the influx of large quantities of cold air every time the doors are 
opened, chilling the contents of the fire-box and the sides of the boiler. Smoke 
will be emitted either when there is too great or too small an amount of air sup- 
plied. An ordinary kerosene lamp very readily demonstrates this — turn up the 
wick too high, the result is smoke, (too little air for amount of kerosene): the wick 
being at the proper height, place the lamp in a draught, the result is the same, 
but for the converse reason — too much air. It would be well if some of our so- 
called engineers would sit down and study the workings of a common kitchen 
stove for a day or so. I say "so-called engineers " because, 1 regret to say, I have 
found a good many men in charge of boiler-rooms in Chicago who could not even 
be ranked as good firemen. 
