ON THE VALUE OF CHEMISTRY, &C. 117 



Nitrate of Silver, Alcohol and water is then poured off 

 and the precipitate washed with clean water and dried 

 on filtering paper. The process had been conducted 

 as far as the first addition of water to suspend the action ; 

 the writer was explaining the nature of the process to 

 a friend who was standing by, and inadvertantly in 

 a moment of abstraction inserted a piece of glass rod, 

 which he had accidentally taken from the table, into 

 the basin containing the mixture, the natural conse- 

 quence of which was that, as soon as it came in contact 

 with the precipitate and the bottom of the basin, the 

 whole amounting to 300 grs. exploded breaking the basin 

 to pieces and dashing the acid mixture in all directions 

 over the ceiling and walls of the laboratory ; the writer's 

 head being very near the basin a large portion was 

 driven into his face and eyes, the effect of which with 

 regard to pain was no more than if clean water had 

 been thrown into them, he washed his eyes immediately 

 in a vessel of clean water, on opening them objects 

 appeared as if viewed through blue glass, the surface 

 of the eye being stained that colour though at the same 

 time he could read the smallest print ; Medical assist- 

 ance was immediately procured and all necessary means 

 resorted to, in order to abate the intense inflammation 

 which rapidly supervened, leeches were continually 

 applied for several weeks and the most indefatigable 

 exertions, which the writer most gratefully acknow- 

 ledges, were used by the Medical attendants to prevent 

 further injury to the sight, nature however insisted on 

 the ascendency and baffled all efforts to resist her ; the 

 eye-balls contracted adhesions to the eye-lids which 

 were several times expertly divided but as often reunited 

 and have at length extended over the surface of the 

 cornea so as effectually to exclude the rays of light ex- 

 cept sufficient to enable the writer to distinguish it 

 from darkness, or to perceive the situation of a window 

 in a room. 



