Modern textbooks in the basic sciences have become more increasingly dedicated to the teaching the more esoteric theories at the expense of omitting much of the history of the practical nuts and bolts.

50 years ago, when I was learning my trade, textbooks contained many practical descriptions of the experimental basis of scientific concepts along with examples of the evolution of the concepts into practical applications.

It is sometimes useful to refer to older texts to find materials which have been overlooked in the process of incorporating the underlying science into the derivative engineering disciplines such as fire dynamics.

I have selected a couple of pages from a century-old textbook of inorganic chemistry which nicely describes the phenomena of reverse flames and the "burning" of oxygen and oxygen-liberating solids in a fuel-rich atmosphere.

Please send me an email if you would like a copy.

ghurst@austin.rr.com