On Dust, Fogs, and Clouds

Abstract

A CURIOUS confirmation of Mr. Aitken's theory of fog was brought to my notice a short time ago. A friend of mine residing in Streatham, struck with the perfection of the heating arrangements in American residences, fitted up his house with a similar contrivance. In the basement was a furnace and boiler which warmed pure air that entered from without, and circulated at a regulated temperature throughout the house. A water-pipe that was connected with the boiler became stopped by frost; an explosion ensued, and the house was filled with so-called steam (hot fog, in fact) from top to bottom. Wherever a cold surface (clock faces, metal fixtures, &c.) was found, even in the topmost bed-rooms, the vapour condensed and left behind it black carbon dust. Nowhere else was this dust found.