vii WORK AT MANCHESTER 183 



The great event of the year 1880 was the inaugura- 

 tion of the Victoria University (some of the buildings 

 of which, as they stand to-day, are shown in the 

 photograph) by the Chancellor, the late Duke of 

 Devonshire. A soiree was given at the Owens College 

 on the 1 3th of July, and a banquet in the Town Hall 

 on the following day. 



An accident occurred at this soiree which might 

 have had serious results. I was lecturing on spectrum 

 analysis, illustrated by the use of a dynamo which had 

 been presented to the college by Dr. Henry Wilde. 

 The chemical theatre was packed with distinguished 

 people, both ladies and gentlemen, and I was in the 

 middle of my short lecture, when by some mischance, 

 in handling the electric lantern, the alternating current 

 passed through my body, and my hands became fixed 

 to the two brass pillars of the lamp. I suffered great 

 pain, but without showing it, I called to Hey wood, my 

 assistant, who saw what was the matter and cut off the 

 current. If I had not remained perfectly quiet, or if 

 I had attempted to remove my hands, a fearful 

 explosion would have occurred, for near the electric 

 lantern were several large prisms filled with that most 

 volatile and combustible substance, bisulphide of 

 carbon, placed on a somewhat rickety stand, and 

 many gas flames were near. If I had attempted, as I 

 have said, to withdraw my hands, I should have 

 pulled the whole thing over, the bisulphide of carbon 

 prisms would have fallen and broken, and the vapour 

 would certainly have caught fire. What might then 

 have ensued is almost too dreadful to contemplate, as 

 the audience could only have escaped from the room 

 with difficulty, and there is no doubt many lives would 

 have been sacrificed. I may add that as soon as I 

 was released I went on with the lecture, and few, if 

 any, of the audience knew what had happened. 



