Abstract: Liquid-cooled discharge lamps of, for example, UV type are employed for sterilising objects, for example, packaging containers for foods. In lamps displaying a U-shaped luminant body and with a surrounding liquid container or envelope, cooling is improved according to the invention in that the base is provided with inflow and outflow channels for liquid, an inflow channel being directed towards the curved section of the luminant body. Whereby, cooling of the warmest section of the luminant body will be optimised, which results in a considerably lengthened service life for the lamp.