MISCELLANY. 
On the best means of burning gas for heat. By Sir John Robison, K. H. , 
Sec.R. S. E., M. S. A.* 
N "Vix ea nostra voco." 
When carburetted hydrogen gas is employed in producing heat, it i 
seldom required that it should at the same time give out light; the combus- 
tion may, therefore, be managed in any mode which may be convenient with- 
out seeking to preserve the illuminating power. It appears to have occurred 
about the same period to 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 gause, and by kin- 
dling the mixture as it escaped through 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 been adopted with advantage in a va- 
riety of processes in the useful arts, w T here this neat and cleanly method 
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 applied ; as all that is essential is, that a current of 
the mixed gas and air shall rise through wire cloth, and that the propor- 
tion of gas to atmospheric air shall never be so great as to allow the flame 
to become yellow, as, with this precaution, the combustion of the carburet- 
ted hydrogen will be complete, and no deposit of soot will take place on 
cold bodies when set over the flames; the proper quantity of gas in the 
mixture is easily determined by the stop cock belonging to each stove. 
For ordinary purposes, the cylinders maybe thirty inches long and three 
or four inches in diameter, and the wire cloth for the stove should have 
thirty wires to the inch. That which is manufactured for safety lamps 
answers well for this purpose. 
Whenever from accidental injury or decay, a hole takes place in a 
* Read before the Society of Arts for Scotland. The special thanks of the Society 
were awarded to the author. 
