LATER YEARS 173 



a mine of radio-active mineral, to lecture in Vienna (1908) 

 at the Association Helvetique at Geneva, at the Associa- 

 tion Franaise (1908), and at the Sorbonne. He was a 

 member of the Sewage Commission also, which involved 

 many journeys of inspection beside laboratory work at 

 home. These and many other engagements were fulfilled 

 while continuing his teaching and research at University 

 College. 



The Sewage Commission began operations in 1897 

 under the chairmanship of the Earl of Iddesleigh, the 

 other members, beside Ramsay, being Sir Richard 

 Thome Thome and General Phipps Carey (representing 

 the Local Government Board), Mr. C. P. Cotton (Irish 

 L.G.B.), Sir Michael Foster, F.R.S., Colonel T. W. 

 Harding (West Riding Rivers Board), Mr. P. W. Killick 

 (Mersey and Irwell Rivers Board), and Dr. J. B. Russell 

 (Scottish L.G.B.). The commission was at work up to 

 the time when its operations were suspended at the 

 outbreak of war in August 1914. On the death of Sir 

 Michael Foster in 1907, Ramsay, in a letter, reminds 

 his friend Dr. McGowan that no fewer than five members 

 of the Commission had already been removed by death ; 

 there were consequently a good many changes in the 

 course of its existence. The staff employed consisted 

 of Professor Sir R. Boyce (who died while the Com- 

 mission was sitting) and Dr. A. C. Houston as bacter- 

 iologists ; Dr. George McGowan and Mr. Colin C. Frye 

 as chemists ; with Mr. G. B. Kershaw as engineer. There 

 were also a good many assistants, bacteriological and 



