Scintillations in the Atmosphere.—When a globule of sodium is thrown into hot water, the decomposition is so violent that small particles of the metal are thrown out of the water, and actually burn with scintillation and flame in passing through the atmosphere.
A Lamp without a Flame.—Procure six or eight inches of platinum wire, about the hundredth part of an inch in thickness, coil it round a small cylinder ten or twelve times, then drop it on the flame of a spirit-lamp, so that part may touch the wick and part remain above it. Light the lamp, and when it has burned a minute or two, put it out; the wire will then be ignited, and continue so long as any spirit remains in the lamp. Lamps manufactured on this principle are sold sometimes by the chemists.
Luminous Characters.—Take a piece of phosphorus and fix it firmly into a quill; with this write any sentence or fanciful figure or character on a whitewashed wall, and in the dark the characters will appear beautifully luminous. Care must be taken while using the quill to dip it in a basin of cold water frequently, or the repeated friction will cause it to inflame, to the manifest detriment of the operator.
Light produced from Sugar.—If two large pieces of sugar (loaf) are rubbed together in the dark, a light blue flame, like lightning, will be emitted. The same effect is produced when a piece of loaf sugar is struck with a hammer.
Green Fire.—Take of flowers of sulphur thirteen drachms, of nitrate of barytes seventy-seven drachms, of oxymuriate of potash five, of metallic arsenic two, of charcoal three. The nitrate of barytes should be well dried and powdered; it should then be mixed with the other ingredients, all finely pulverized, and the whole triturated until perfectly blended together. A little calamine may be occasionally added, to make the mixture burn slower.