NATURAL HISTORY AT ST ANDREWS 297 



than the writer. Besides his translation of Lehman's 

 Chemistry, Dr Day published reports on the progress of 

 Animal Chemistry, and a work on the Diseases of Old Age. 



The first Professor of Chemistry then taught in the Uni- 

 versity, the Chair having been founded only in 1840. Professor 

 Connell's health, however, gave way in 1856, and an assistant 

 (Dr Heddle) lectured during the session 1856-57. Professor 

 Connell's lectures were given with great care and lucidity, 

 and then, as now, the class was a popular one with the students 

 of arts, science, and medicine, as well as with the general 

 public. Dr. Connell, indeed, gave for a year or two special 

 courses on agricultural chemistry on the afternoons of 

 Monday, to which farmers and the public were admitted free, 

 though they had occasionally to run the gauntlet of volleys 

 of snowballs from the younger students of the University. 

 Dr Heddle' s first course consisted of both inorganic and 

 organic chemistry, with remarks on the analysis of minerals 

 at intervals. There was no practical class, and the student 

 at this time had to depend on private resources for chemical 

 experiments, and many adventures were associated with these 

 home-laboratories. Professor Connell made important dis- 

 coveries in regard to the dew-point, the analyses of many 

 minerals (including brewsterite), iodic acid, naphthalene, action 

 of voltaic electricity on alcohol, action of waters on lead, and 

 the chemistry of fossil scales, no less than forty papers of note 

 being attached to his name. Professor Connell was a chemist 

 of great originality, and, working under many difficulties, his 

 researches were an honour to him and to his University. 



A consideration of the foregoing remarks shows that at 

 this time (1853-1857) the Principal of the University towered 

 far above the occupants of the Chairs in original investigation, 

 unceasing industry, and in European reputation. Though 

 between seventy-three and seventy-seven years of age, the 

 venerable philosopher had all the ardour of youth in his 

 studies, and stood forth as a splendid example to every 



